Las Vegas bumped from atop Orbitz summer travel index

/ Las Vegas Sun

Women dance in the pool during opening day for Tao Beach Saturday, April 2, 2011.

Las Vegas has been bumped from the top spot of summer travel destinations on one travel website.

The city trailed Orlando and took the No. 2 spot on Orbitz’s 2011 summer travel index, after holding the top spot for the last two years. The survey was based on recent air bookings on the travel website.

Last year, Orlando ranked at No. 4 on the website’s summer travel index. Orlando also bumped Las Vegas from the No. 1 spot on Orbitz’s list of top spring break destinations.

According to the list, Las Vegas hotel rates average about $89 a night, despite a 7 percent rise in prices from last year. Las Vegas still has the lowest room rates of any city on the list.

Average airfares to Las Vegas were listed at $396, the third lowest on the list after Orlando and Boston. Overall, Orbitz noted airfares to every destination on the list rose compared to last year, largely because of increasing fuel costs.

Other destinations on this year’s index include Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Cancun and Boston. Average hotel rates for the year-over-year period were up the most in San Francisco, Cancun and Orlando, which had the second lowest rates after Las Vegas at $94.

Of travelers surveyed through Orbitz, 63 percent said gas prices will impact their summer vacation plans this year, but 81 percent said they will travel anyway.

About 60 percent of consumers said they are planning to keep their travel budget under $1,500. Nearly 74 percent said they aim to spend $2,000 or less.

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