News for June 26
| AAA Predicts Slight Decrease In Fourth of July Travel (posted by Public Affairs on June 26 @ 10:04 ) |
| For the first time this decade, AAA is projecting a decline in the number of Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home during the Fourth of July travel period, according to AAA Southern New England. AAA projects that almost 40.5 million Americans will travel during the July 4th weekend, down 1.3 percent from the 41 million who traveled last year. More than 13 percent of the U.S. population will be on the road this holiday weekend despite record gas prices, with many taking advantage of travel bargains that are being offered by hotels hoping to boost last minute business. More than 34.2 million Americans (almost 85 percent of all holiday travelers) intend to travel by automobile, a 1.2 percent decrease from the 34.6 million people who drove to their holiday destinations last year. Another 4.5 million (11 percent of holiday travelers) expect to travel by airplane, a 2.3 percent decrease from 2007. The remaining 1.7 million plan to travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation. “Clearly gas prices are continuing to take a toll on the traveler’s budget, but the travel industry is continuing to respond, as they have in the past, with discounts, promotions, and other incentives to get people traveling this holiday,” said Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs and New Business Development. “Travelers should look out for free gas card offerings, breakfast promotions, kids-eat-free deals, car rentals discounts, and, of course, always ask about AAA member discounts.” The top auto travel destinations for AAA members in Massachusetts and Rhode Island traveling more than 50 miles from home, based on requests for personalized AAA TripTiks, are Niagara Falls, Canada; Hershey, PA; and Montreal. Washington, DC and Mystic, Connecticut are among the top destinations for AAA’s Drive Vacation program of special trip packages. Theme parks such as Hershey Park (PA), Six Flags New England (MA), Canobie Lake (NH) and Sesame Place (PA) are also proving to be popular with AAA members in New England. AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services. |