Of course, every summer season is important to the hotel industry, and particularly crucial for certain properties and markets. But the 2010 summer, which functionally kicks off Memorial Day weekend, may be the most important one ever for the U.S. lodging business.

A strong summer, with lots of families, seniors and singles traveling, will not only help hotels as they fight to regain lost occupancies and, more importantly, rate, but it can also be a bellwether for the entire economy. Not to be too dramatic about it, but if a large portion of the population relaxes and enjoys itself this summer they may feel better about the economy and the nation in general, sparking a rise in consumer confidence and an easing of the nation’s general malaise. Certainly, we can all agree a great vacation cures a lot of ills.

All signs point to a strong summer. Many chains and individual operators report quickening booking pace and lots of inquiries, although, in what is sure to sprout more gray hairs among lodging executives, consumers are booking later than in previous years. It seems as though everyone is waiting for another shoe to drop in their lives and prefer waiting to the last minute before committing to anything, including vacations. That pressure to decide if, when and where to go will heat up once school is out, and everyone gets antsy for a vacation. After all, it’s an American birthright. We work harder than any other nation, so we feel entitled to play even harder.

Other emerging trends in leisure travel patterns merit the attention of hotel owners, operators and marketers. The “staycation, ” the idea that cash-strapped consumers would vacation closer to home seems to have gone from a media-fueled myth to reality. A new study from Ypartnership and the Harrison Group shows that in the past year 26 percent of leisure travelers with household incomes above $50,000 took an overnight trip or vacation within a 50-mile radius of home in lieu of a destination further away. At this time last year, fewer than 10 percent of leisure travelers said they took a staycation.

This trend is more pronounced among younger travelers (Millennials and Gen Xers), unrelated adults living together and adults with children at home. These findings have obvious and profound implications for the marketing tactics many hotels employ this summer.

Of course, the silver lining of an improved summer season comes with a few caveats, none of which are in our control. Namely, no one knows what effect the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will have on tourism in the region. The Panhandle of Florida, in particular, is in grave danger. Another messy situation is the momentum gathering to boycott travel to Arizona in light of the state’s passage of a controversial immigration enforcement law. While the implications for travel will probably have more of an effect on group and business customers, if at all, it’s not a good situation for the state and its massive tourism industry.

Here’s hoping everyone in the business has a great summer season, and that it leads to a healthy and sustained recovery for the industry.