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AAA Releases Holiday Travel Projections

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AAA is out with its projections for Fourth of July travel, and expects to see fewer people on the highways this year.   The auto club predicts that more than 40 million travelers will make trips of fifty miles or more over the Independence Day holiday, a decline of just under one percent from last year.

The dip could be due to the calendar. Last year, the holiday was on a Wednesday, creating a six day holiday period for many people.  With the Fourth falling on a Thursday this year, the holiday period is shorter.

Most travelers will visit friends or relatives, dine out or sight see. Many will go to the beach or waterfront. The survey shows more plan to visit national or state parks this year than last.

About 85% will go by vehicle, down slightly from last year, with air travel up slightly. The average travel distance is down from last year but spending will be about the same.

The holiday travel period runs from July 3rd through the 7th, with Wednesday and Sunday expected to be the busiest travel days.

AAA Projects Fewer Travelers this 4th of July

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According to AAA forecasts for the holiday weekend, not quite as many people will travel this year as last.  AAA is projecting a 2.5% to 2.7%  decline in the number of travelers overall. Automobile travel is expected to be down about 3%, while air travel will be up about 9%. However, 84% of those making trips over the Independence Day weekend are expected to drive.

Jim Lardear, Director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic, says it’s important to remember that 2010 saw big gains in travel coming off of the recession. He says this year’s projection shows people are feeling the pinch from higher fuel costs.

Lardear says the fuel prices are hitting lower income families more. He says one of the most striking things they found was in travel preferences for families earning under $50,000 a year. He says they were more willing to stay closer to home or scale back a little on what they spend for hotels, eating out or shopping during  the trip. The average travel distance is expected to be down about 7%.

Lardear says families making $100,000 or more  indicated they’re going to spend a little more money on things like going to a sporting event at their destination.  Median spending is expected to be up 25% this year.

Lardear adds that Pennsylvania offers a variety of destinations that people can drive to on one tank of gas, if they’re interested in  a lake, an amusement park; there are a lot of ways to take a fun vacation without incurring a lot of additional costs.  He says you can scale it back, but still afford to get away and have a very nice time.