The FINANCIAL — It’s the dream many Americans have – to travel to another country for a vacation without worrying about the cost. Would you sit on the beaches in South America? Would you travel the historical roads in Europe? Or would it be an Asian adventure?
When American adults were asked where they would choose, if they could spend a vacation in any country in the world outside of the U.S. and not have to worry about cost, the country named most often-for the third time in a row-was Italy. In fact, Italy has been a top pick for Americans for some time – it has ranked as either the first or second choice for the past 10 times this question has been asked, according to Harris Interactive Inc.
This year Australia comes in at the number 2 spot, up one spot from 2011, followed by Great Britain in 3rd, down one spot from last time. Rounding out this year’s top five are France at number 4 and Ireland at number 5, a flip of the spots they held in 2011.
Looking at the rest of the top ten most desired vacation spots, Germany moves up 2 spots to number 6 followed by a visit to our neighbor to the north, Canada, which moves up three spots to number 7. In at number 8 is a trip to Japan, up one spot from 2011. There is a tie for the number 9 country – Spain, which moves down from the 7th position and New Zealand which moves up from number 11.
Two countries come back to the list this year. Mexico returns in the number 12 spot and they were last on the list in 2010 at number 13. The Bahamas returns in the 15th spot and they were last on the list in 2008 at number 14. The two countries that dropped off the top 15 this year are Israel who was number 13 and China who was number 15, according to Harris Interactive Inc.
Looking at the chosen countries for vacation, half of Americans would choose somewhere in Europe (50%), two in five would choose to go to a country in Asia or the Pacific region (20%), while one in ten prefer a country in the Americas or Caribbean (10%). Much smaller numbers say they would choose to vacation in Africa (3%) or a Middle Eastern country (2%), while 3% say they would not leave the U.S. and 4% are not sure where they would choose to go.
Surprisingly, for the most part, different groups of people do not have different vacation priorities. Both men and women say Italy followed by Australia are the two countries where they would want to go. They then have the same three countries afterwards, but it is Great Britain, Ireland and France for men and France, Great Britain and Ireland for women.
Generationally, there is a little more difference in vacation preferences. For Millennials it is Italy, followed by Great Britain while for Baby Boomers, it is Australia followed by Italy. For both Gen Xers and Matures, the top two countries they would want to vacation in are Italy followed by Australia, according to Harris Interactive Inc.
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