Expedia Study Reveals That Nearly 50% Of U.S. Adults Report Having Been "Forgotten" On Valentine's Day - Expedia Now Offering Last-Minute Flash Sale Travel For The Forgetful And Thoughtful Alike

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia.com®, the world's leading online travel agency, today revealed the results of a study of American behaviors surrounding Valentine's Day. Commissioned by Expedia and conducted online by Harris Interactive among 2,236 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, the "Expedia® To the Rescue" study revealed that among those who celebrate Valentine's Day, planning is often done within a few days of the holiday, with imperfect results. Nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults report that they have had loved ones who had forgotten the date entirely, or canceled plans. 33% of the forgotten reported having taken action in response, ranging from guilt trips and silent treatments to temper tantrums.

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Although the gift of travel isn't common, it is growing more so.  27% of U.S. adults have given the gift of travel in the past and 58% of those who celebrate Valentine's Day would "definitely or probably" take advantage of an inexpensive getaway deal for Valentine's Day with a week or two weeks' notice, if they hadn't already made other plans.

"Travel is a non-traditional Valentine's Day gift but its surging popularity makes sense. Expedia's last-minute and flash sales can be purchased on the fly and you don't need to take the trip immediately," said Sarah Keeling, Expedia's resident romantic travel expert. "Now even if it's February 13, there's no reason to be in the doghouse when you can be at the beach."

Expedia now offers several options for last-minute-planners in the form of last-minute travel deals.

• The company's newly-introduced Last Minute Deals program relies on user-generated deals and user-informed travel trends to find the best near-term travel deals. Expedia Last-Minute Deals effectively crowdsources the search process, by showcasing deals found by other customers.
• Groupon Getaways with Expedia couples the flash-sales expertise of Groupon with Expedia's unparalleled global network of travel suppliers. Groupon Getaways with Expedia follows Groupon's voucher model, where travelers book a hotel room or package at an exceptional rate, then travel when the time is right. Groupon Getaways with Expedia deals are also transferable, making them ideal gifts.
• ASAP  (A Sudden Amazing Price®) deals are live and bookable for up to 12 hours, offering unlimited access to deals at up to 50% off of Expedia's everyday rates. Expedia offers multiple ASAP deals every day.