European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 3, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The trend toward Short getaways by James  the Washington Post a americans Are changing their vacation habits. Increasingly it seems Many of the Marc Iro Ahng themselves to a series o mini vacations spread throughout the year sometimes a1 the expense of the irad Lional iwo work Holiday in the summer. Obviously weekend travel is nothing new. Since that is when most families have Lime off from work and school. What has begun to happen according to statistical surveys is that americans Are taking More Requel weekend trips olten trimming Back their summer vacations to do so. It is a healthy development say mental health experts in Loday s stress tilled work place it s important to Lake frequent Breaks to relax and refresh does anyone relish tha idea of returning from two or even four weeks at the Beach Only to contemplate the next 11 months without one or More getaways the trend spotted by the travel Industry a couple of years ago. Is partly a result of changing lifestyles. Two paycheck couples sometimes Lind it difficult to plan a two week vacation when both can break free from their jobs at the came time so they Opl for several Short getaways l Feller ant Many americans have Mote discretionary income than in years past. The travel Industry has reacted by introducing innovative programs aimed at capturing a share of what is viewed As a lucrative Market. Hotels airlines act others in the travel business Are appealing to what they blk five the weekenders want convenience very Impo Loni a Good i ice and a Good Lime. Certainly there Are some potential problems with Mim vacations for one thing you can t go very far from Home on a iwo of three Day break. Ii you spend More than a Hall Day in route either by Auto train or plane you Are Apt to remember the trip As More of a hassle than a relaxing getaway. And you May have to make lodging reservations Well in Advance especially on Holiday weekends because popular places fill fast. A Survey of America s travel habits commissioned by Marriott hotels and resorts in 19b6, Lound thai most americans Prater Laking several weekend pleasure trips rather than one longer trip. The traditional two week american vacation concluded Carriom is no longer the Norm for american Leisure travel Marriott based its findings on interviews with 1,513 people in a National phone Survey. In that Sample 73 percent of All pleasure trips taken in the previous 12 months were Short trips of three Days or less six out of 10 of them Over a weekend. The findings Don i mean the two week vacation is dead Al least not yet although Marriott did subtitle its 105-Page report the demised Fife traditional american vacation. The u s travel data Center in Washington while noting a Ciel