Americans’ Vacation Plans Include Staying Connected More Than 70 Percent CheckIn With Family, Friends Or Office (NAPSA)—While the American workweek seems to get longer each year, many people still rely on vacations as a way to escape everyday pressures and rejuvenate. According to a recent survey conducted by Sprint, nearly twothirds of Americans plan to vaca- tion away from homethis year. While out-of-town getaways are nothing new, today Americans vacation much differently than they did a decade ago by taking shorter, more frequent trips and preferring to stay in contact with home while away. Whether leaving town for a weekend getaway or a weeklong retreat, vacationing Americans surveyed plan to “check in” with family, friends or work while away, and 85 percent say they will keep in touch using the telephone in someform. Family travel expert Emily Kaufman, known as The Travel Mom, is encouraged to hear people are planning summer vacations, despite the economic and political climate and the pull of work. “During stressful times, it’s so important for people to get their mindsoff everyday life,” Kaufman said. “However, most people can’t completely disengage from commitments at homeor the office, so they are finding ways to stay in touch and still get away.” About one-third of vacationing Americans listed prepaid phone cards as their preferred means of keeping in touch. Kaufman suggests prepaid phone cards as an vacationing Americans to commu- nicate with home and a must-have on the vacation checklist. These cards, from Sprint, have low perminute rates and can be used throughout the United States and internationally. More than half of those surveyed named wireless phones as the way they communicate while on the road. New wireless phone options, such as Vision-enabled PCS Phones, give people an immediate and easy way to share pictures of special vacation moments with friends and loved ones. Another convenient option for staying in touch is a calling card that bills the charges back to a homelong-distance plan. “As an integrated telecommunications provider, Sprint offers a variety of ways for vacationing Americans to keep in touch,” said Kelly Carnago, director of prepaid, Mass Markets Organization at Sprint. “Sprint products and plans help people stay connected—andshare their experiences— in a way they nevercould before.” For more information about Sprint services, call (800) PINDROP or visit www.sprint.com.
