Many affluent say they plan to travel more

Many affluent consumers find personal satisfaction not in things, but in what they do -- "greats news for the travel industry," a U.S. marketing expert says. Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of "Putting the Luxe Back in Luxury," said more than half of all U.S. luxury consumers report the source of their greatest personal satisfaction and happiness is what they experience -- as opposed to luxury goods. "This is great news for the travel industry, which is built upon providing memorable luxurious experiences to guests," Danziger said in a statement. Danziger's Luxury Consumers and Their Luxury Travel Plans 2012, a trend report by Unity Marketing, based upon a recent survey among 1,498 luxury consumers -- average income $279,100 -- found 40 percent of the affluents surveyed expect to spend more on luxury travel in 2012 than they did in 2011. About 12 percent of affluents expect to spend significantly more in 2012. "Clearly, the affluent consumer is poised to spend more in the coming year, and this spending will be directed at those experiences that will give them the most pleasure," Danziger said.