Design firm PGAV Destinations in St Louis, MO, USA, has published a new study - The New Destination Visitor: Travel Motivations in the Post-Recession Era.

American tourists are now more likely not to fly and stay closer to home, with 63 per cent expressing interest in visiting a national park, while 57 per cent said they would like to travel to Honolulu in Hawaii and 55 per cent expressing a strong interest in visiting Orlando, Florida.

69.1 per cent of Americans looked for deals on the places they visit while only 18 per cent traveled to an overseas destination.

According to the findings, the nationwide study showed that American tourists initially use three emotional drivers when starting to think about visiting a destination - reconnecting with loved ones, pleasing the people they care about and having fun together.

The research also said that the five most important needs, in order of priority, are having a quality product, getting value for money, having a worry-free experience, relaxing and having a unique experience.

When defining what value actually meant, affordability, quality, safety and relaxation were all factored in by those questioned.