(Post-gazette) – Despite a still uncertain economy in the U.S. and abroad, many travelers worldwide are planning to spend more on their vacations this year than last year, with Chinese vacationers expected to be the biggest spenders of all.

Of the 5,000 travelers surveyed around the world, 70 percent said they plan to spend the same or more on vacation travel in 2012 than last year, according to a report commissioned by Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company.

In countries with burgeoning economies, more travelers are planning to surpass last year’s travel budget.

In China, for example, 58 percent of travelers surveyed said they planned to spend more this year.

When they hit the road, travelers from around the world have different spending priorities.

The survey found that U.S. and Chinese travelers plan to use the extra money they spend this year to take longer vacations. Travelers from Britain said dining was a top priority for their vacation, while Brazilian vacationers put shopping at the top of their lists.

And it seems theme parks are a universal pleasure: The survey found that 43 percent of all travelers said the vacation they aspire to take includes a visit to a theme park.

A British Airways effort to improve customer service by letting airline employees look up passenger photos and other information on the Web is ruffling feathers among privacy advocates.

Over the past year, British Airways equipped airline employees with Apple Inc. iPad tablets to search data on passengers such as previous travel arrangements, food preferences and even Google images. The airline says the Know Me program was directed primarily to better serve VIP passengers.

The online images, for example, were used to help crew members recognize passengers as they board the planes, making the service more personal, according to British Airways officials.