Labor Day Travel expected to be record high

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A summer that brought record-high gas prices and travel approaching pre-9/11 levels will end with potentially record-high Labor Day holiday travel. AAA estimates that 34.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.2 percent increase from last year's 33.4 million travelers.



Approximately 28.7 million travelers (84 percent of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 2.0 percent increase from the 28.1 million who drove a year ago. Another 3.9 million (11 percent) plan to travel by airplane, up 4.0 percent from the 3.7 million that flew last Labor Day. A projected 1.5 million vacationers (5 percent) will go by train, bus or other mode of transportation, about even with 2003's holiday weekend.

Holiday auto travelers will find gas prices nationwide currently averaging $1.87 for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline -- about 15 cents higher than the then-record levels hit last Labor Day holiday.

"This strong summer travel season appears headed for a strong Labor Day finale," said Dawn Duffy, AAA spokesperson. "American vacationers have taken to the roads in droves this summer, despite gas prices that hit new records at Memorial Day and have run at historic highs all summer long."

The greatest number of Labor Day auto travelers will originate in the West with 7.0 million, followed by the Southeast, 6.8 million; Midwest, 5.5 million; Northeast, 4.9 million; and the Great Lakes, 4.5 million.

The West is expected to produce the largest number of air travelers with 1.5 million, followed by the Southeast with 1.2 million; Northeast, 500,000; Great Lakes, 400,000; and Midwest, 300,000.

Oceans and beaches top the list of preferred destinations this holiday with 26 percent of travel volume. Small towns and rural areas took a close second with 21 percent, followed by cities, 16 percent. Outdoor attractions rate high with lakes, 12 percent; mountains, 10 percent; and state/national parks, 4 percent. Theme/amusement parks, 3 percent, rounded out the list while another 5 percent responded with other, and 3 percent said they didn't know.

Hotel occupancy rates should remain high, as 40 percent of Labor Day travelers expect to stay at a hotel/motel. The other top choice is friends or relatives, 33 percent, followed by camper/trailer/RV/tent, 13 percent; cabin/condo, 7 percent; bed and breakfast, 1 percent; other, 1 percent; no overnight stay, 2 percent, and didn't know, 3 percent.

Research for Labor Day travel is based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association of American, which conducts special research for AAA.

AAA offers automobile insurance, travel, and financial services to more than 45 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA Minnesota/Iowa is part of The Auto Club Group, which has 4.1 million members in eight Midwest states. AAA Minneapolis serves more than 172,000 members in Hennepin County.