Survey: Holiday spending at malls, on experiences up

An overwhelming majority of Americans made at least one trip to the mall this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean they were all shopping.

Of the 70 percent of U.S. adults who went to a mall or shopping center during the holidays, more than a quarter of them skipped the stores, according to a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Nearly half of people who went to a mall said they went to a restaurant and 26 percent said they went to a movie, the council said in a news release Tuesday.

Online shopping can be more convenient than trekking to the mall, and traditional department-store anchors aren’t the draw they once were. Malls have been adding entertainment options to keep people coming back, from upscale bowling alleys and movie theaters to high-tech takes on the traditional Christmas photo with Santa, such as a virtual North Pole sleigh ride.

Millennials spent the largest share of their total shopping-center holiday spending on experiences, about 25 percent, compared with about 20 percent for consumers overall, the council said.

Consumers also spent more on gifts. Shoppers spent an average of $711 on gifts and other holiday items, up 16 percent over last year.