Sixty percent of consumers around the world are planning to spend as much or more on their vacations this year as they did on their last getaways, according to new research with Survey Sampling International’s (SSI) global online panels. The consumers most likely to increase their vacation spending are in the Pacific Rim. Americans and Japanese are the likeliest to skip their vacations.

Luxury travel in both the business and leisure segments is set to increase over the next 12 months, according to the results of a survey released by Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The survey was targeted at members of The Club of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the luxury brand’s customer recognition program. Forty-one percent of respondents said they expected to have more disposable income in the next year, with 11 percent saying they expect to see a significant increase.

PhoCusWright is releasing a new report, “PhoCusWright’s Airline Ancillary Services: Redefining Travel Distribution (or Not).” It covers airlines new strategy of generating incremental revenue by unbundling services and amenities and charging for them separately, or bundling them into fare families.

The U.S. hotel industry should expect to see mixed results in the three key performance metrics this summer, according to STR’s 2010 summer forecast. The summer travel season comprises June, July and August.

STR predicts summer occupancy will increase 2.2 percent from summer 2009 to 63.1 percent, average daily rate will decrease 1.9 percent to $95.16, and revenue per available room will end the summer virtually flat with a 0.2 percent increase to $60.03.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, speaking on the occasion of the opening of this year’s ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin, said the travel and tourism industry is leaving behind one of the most difficult years in its history, after international tourist arrivals fell by 4 percent in 2009, with earnings estimated to have fallen by approximately 6 percent.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reported that global travel and tourism economy GDP declined by 4.8 percent in 2009 and this caused the loss of almost five million jobs – or 5.6 million since 2008. All regions experienced significant contractions in visitor arrivals, spending and travel and tourism economy GDP, and travel and tourism investment declined by more than 12 percent.

Ground was broken earlier this month for Etesian Resort, a 200-room project on the Rendezvous Bay Beach Front in Anguilla.

Ground was broken earlier this month for Etesian Resort, a 200-room project on the Rendezvous Bay Beach Front in Anguilla.

Ground was broken earlier this month for Etesian Resort, a 200-room project on the Rendezvous Bay Beach Front in Anguilla.

Ground was broken earlier this month for Etesian Resort, a 200-room project on the Rendezvous Bay Beach Front in Anguilla.