Have you heard? There is a massive travel budget, or money that people set aside each year for vacations, in North America.
According to American Express, well over half of Americans have a travel budget (and we all know that percentage is probably much higher among the guests at a typical charity fundraiser). In fact, a whopping $600 billion is spent on leisure travel each year!
For many nonprofits, offering travel in the auction opens the door to a whole new revenue stream—travel budgets completely separate from a donor's 'philanthropic' budget.
We could certainly use access to more revenue streams, but I don't think our audience really has the money to buy trips.
Valid point. But if you've never offered travel at your fundraising event before, you may be underestimating the giving power and travel budgets of your audience.
Surveys show 83% of winning bidders budget $5,000 annually for travel. What's more, 53% budget at least $10,000 per year for vacations.
What this means for your nonprofit: An overwhelming majority of your audience has set aside money to spend on a vacation package that they'll spend one way or another... whether through your fundraising event or with a travel agent.
Okay, some people in our audience are probably buying at least one trip this year. How do we know where they want to go?
While some cities and attractions maintain popularity year after year (think Hawaii and NYC), there are new, up-and-coming destinations and activities poised to become big winners at fundraising auctions this fall.
Check out our infographic highlighting the biggest travel trends (spa day, anyone?), then quickly and easily reserve Winspire Experiences that cater to any niche traveler.
All right, we know what destinations are hot right now. How do we get our bidders there?
Having access to a reputable travel service provider year-round is the easiest and safest way to offer trips that "wow" donors and condition supporters to plan their travel around your events.
At Winspire, our big picture aspiration is to empower nonprofits to redirect some of that $600 billion spent on leisure travel annually back to their causes, by providing incredible no-risk travel for charity auctions.
Here's just a few of our top-performing Winspire Experiences that cater directly to popular niche travel sectors as mentioned in the infographic.
Cultural Tourism
Private Historian's Tour of the U.S. Capitol
Private Tour of the U.S. Capitol Building with Noted Historian, Fairmont Washington D.C. 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2 (2788-2)
Wellness Tourism
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa Golf Getaway
Choice of Golf or Spa, Chopra Center, Daily Breakfast, 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2 (1715-2)
Culinary Tourism
Napa Valley Epicurean Adventure
Cooking Class, Wine Train, Olive Oil Tour & Tasting, Meritage Resort and Spa 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2 (3376-2)
Adventure Tourism
Journey to Machu Picchu
7-Night Adventure at Belmond Hotels in Cuzco, Machu Picchu & Lima, Vistadome Train, with Domestic Airfare (Peru) for 2 (1420-2n)
Sports Tourism
Ultimate Pro Sports Fan Getaway
Lower Level Tickets to Choice of a Select Regular Season MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL or PGA Event, 2-Night Weekend Stay with Airfare for 2 (5200-2)
Spiritual Tourism
Rome VIP Vatican Exploration
Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and Vatican Tour, Hotel Ponte Sisto 5-Night Stay for 2 (1326-2n)
Our full catalog contains over 200 incredible, bucket-list Experiences that take just minutes to reserve and cost you nothing if they don't sell. If you like what you see, contact us by phone, email or live chat to work with your regional Fundraising Specialist and select the right packages for your guests.
By offering travel as part of your auction, you are giving donors the opportunity to fill two needs with one deed: spend their travel budget on an incredible Experience while supporting a cause they believe in.
