Research published by ThinkNow revealed preferences that Hispanics have when vacationing, sharing that Latinos prefer to spend their vacations with their families (67 percent) at destinations of personal significance (64 percent); they spend more than non-Hispanics, and technology remains important to them even when they're on vacation (34 percent).

Latinos truly value their vacation time, more so than Americans overall. Hispanics take time off of work each year, primarily during the summer and/or the holiday season, according to ThinkNow Research.

And 79 percent of all Hispanics use that time off to go on one or more vacation each year, which is comparable to other groups.

Latinos of all income levels are traveling and spending more than non-Hispanics on average, regardless of income. High-earning Latinos spend more than low-earning Latinos and affluent non-Hispanics ($8,700 on average compared to $7,000), and 31 percent spend more than $10,000. Latinos, on average, spend more than non-Hispanics on domestic vacations because of the fact that they are most likely to fly and they have larger families.

Eighteen percent of non-Hispanics travel internationally, compared to 31 percent of U.S. Hispanics. And when traveling abroad, the top international choices for Latinos are the Caribbean (19 percent), Mexico (18 percent), South America (11 percent), Central America (10 percent) and Canada (10 percent).

The Caribbean and Latin America are standout choices for vacationing because an astounding 64 percent of respondents return to their homeland during their vacations. But 55 percent indicated that they would like to try new and/or different vacation spots, whether whether it's during summertime vacation (38 percent) or Christmas time (34 percent).

Morocco, Japan and Ireland aren't likely to be chosen as vacation spots by Latinos unless it's a place of importance to them and their families.

Upscale and affluent Hispanics are slightly different. They travel more than most, and 46 percent of Hispanics who earn more than $100,000 a year travel 3-6 times annually for business and recreation.

Upscale Latinos also are more likely to visit Australia and Western Europe (Spain, England and France). Additionally, they favor stays at Holiday Inn (23 percent), Best Western (20 percent), Hilton (17 percent) and Marriot (16 percent) when they are selecting a hotel chain. Embassy Suites and Hyatt were also identified as a top destination by affluent Hispanics.

Technology continues to play a role in the lives of Latinos when they leave home for their vacations.

When it comes to booking these well-deserved vacations, 28 percent of Hispanics purchase airline tickets using the Internet, and 17 percent used mobile apps at time of purchase. Mobile phones stay close to 34 percent of Latinos so that they stay connected to friends and family via Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks. And, 30 percent admitted that they weren't able to live without their handheld devices, even when they're on vacation.

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