Burst Media released a survey that found 73.6 percent of summer travelers say they will use the internet to help plan for their vacation.

"Consumers are actively using the internet as an information resource and a place to make travel purchases. Advertisers should take advantage of the web's ability to target specific travel audiences such as families, and the affluent," says Chuck Moran, manager of market research for Burst.

The study also found that the use of the internet to plan summer travel grows as reported household income increases; for example, in household incomes of $35,000 or less, 64.5 percent said they would use the internet to research vacation compared to 82.9 percent of respondents reporting household incomes of $75,000 or more.

"Travel and tourism generates enormous economic activity throughout the year; however, no time is more popular to travel than the summer months. Summer travel often requires advance research and planning, and for many the internet has become not only the definitive travel information resource, but the preferred method to complete travel transactions," adds Moran.

Respondents said that destination information (63.2 percent) and the ability to check flight, hotel, and car rental rates/availability (60.6 percent) were the two leading features/content of a travel website that made them want to return to the site.