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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.

Great American Cleanup Underway in PA

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Wanted: volunteers to participate in the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania.  The annual statewide roadside cleanup effort plays an important role in keeping Pennsylvania beautiful.  “It’s surprising how much litter is out there,” says PennDOT spokeswoman Jamie Legenos.  “For instance, last year alone there was 6.7-million pounds of litter that was collected from roads, trails and shorelines.  We had 141,000 volunteers out there.”  But Legenos freely admits those numbers are slipping.  In 2011, nearly 160,000 volunteers collected over 7-million pounds of trash. 

A first-ever Great American Cleanup Video Contest is just one way in which organizers are hoping to engage more volunteers.  While the Great American Cleanup officially runs now through May 31st, registered events will have access to free disposal at participating landfills during the “Pick-it-up PA Days,” which run April 20th – May 6th. 

This annual spring cleaning of Pennsylvania’s roadsides is sponsored by PennDOT, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the state DEP.  PennDOT provides the gloves, trash bags and safety vests for official Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania groups.

Hitting the Road for the Holiday Weekend?

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As Pennsylvanians approach the unofficial end of summer this Labor Day weekend, many will be setting out for one last road trip before fall. AAA Mid-Atlantic expects holiday travel to be up about 2.3% in this region over last Labor Day, with most people traveling by car despite higher gasoline prices and a sluggish economy.

Jenny Robinson from AAA says dining out, visits to relatives and shopping will top many holiday lists this weekend, with round-trips averaging about 744 miles. As of Wednesday, the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.78.

For the 8% or so expected to travel by air, Hurricane Isaac could throw a wrinkle into your travel plans, especially if you’re planning to fly to the south or Midwest. The storm was already disrupting travel the past several days, and after making landfall last night in Louisiana, the system is expected to amble north through Arkansas and Missouri and then into Illinois and Indiana.

Americans Ready to Travel for Labor Day Despite Higher Gas Prices

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Americans are ready to travel for Labor Day weekend, despite the higher gas prices.   AAA expects travel to be up almost 3% nationwide for the holiday with increases in both car and air travel.

Jenny Robinson of AAA Mid Atlantic says   consumer confidence has improved compared to a year ago and more people are prioritizing travel.  Timing may be a factor as well; she says travel tends to go up when the holiday weekend begins at the end of August.  This year, Labor Day falls on September 3rd and the travel period begins on August 30th.

There are signs of economizing, with more than half of travelers saying their trips will be shorter.  While the number of projected miles per trip is up slightly over last year, Robinson says air travel is likely fueling the extra miles.  More people are expected to head to their destinations by both plane and car than last Labor Day weekend. Travel by automobile is expected to rise by 3.1% with air travel up 3.7%. Median spending is expected to increase slightly.

It’s the third increase in holiday travel this year.  AAA projects that 33 million Americans will make trips of 50 miles or more during the last holiday weekend of summer. As the holiday weekend approaches, further shifts in gas prices could encourage, or discourage travel.

AAA Projects a Slight Decrease In Labor Day Travel

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The Labor Day holiday travel period starts a week from today and AAA says more than 31 million Americans plan to travel at least 50 miles from home.  Compared to last Labor Day, travel is expected to be off by about 2.4% nationwide.

AAA says more people will drive and fewer will fly, thanks in part to moderating gas prices and higher air fares. Average travel distance is expected to be down slightly while spending will stay about the same. 27% of the budget will go toward fuel and travel.   

Jenny Robinson of AAA Mid-Atlantic says they’re projecting a decrease in travelers due to economic uncertainty and the increasing air fares. Travelers can expect to see increases in hotel rates but decreases in car rental rates. The holiday period runs September 1st through 5th.

Robinson says the average distance is expected to be 608 miles compared to 635 miles last year. Median spending will be about $702, compared to $697 over Labor Day 2010.                                       

Robinson says gas prices were cheaper last year, but they have moderated somewhat. More people are expected to travel by automobile this Labor Day than last. She says air fare is being more impacted by prices, and that’s where they’re seeing the decline in their forecast for the holiday weekend.

 

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.