More traveling on the Fourth with lower gas prices

Wednesday, 03 Jul, 2012 0

AAA projects 42.3 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday weekend, a 4.9 percent increase over the 40.3 million people who traveled last year. The expected 2012 Independence Day holiday travel volume will tie the past decade’s previous high mark set in 2007 and represents a near 42 percent increase from 2009.

When asked about day of departure, fifty-four percent of people intending to travel this holiday plan to begin their trip prior to the start of the work-week that includes July 4. Response percentages by trip departure day are:

25 percent – Friday, June 29

16 percent – Saturday, June 30

13 percent – Sunday, July 1

11 percent – Monday, July 2

19 percent – Tuesday, July 3

16 percent – Wednesday, July 4

Lower gas prices that are an average 22 cents cheaper a gallon across the country than this time last year may explain why AAA projects people will spend 7% less this Fourth than last, for a median of $749 per family. Self-serve unleaded averages $3.356 a gallon in the government’s latest weekly survey. The findings released today show that gas prices continue their steady drop, down 8 cents a gallon in the last week alone.

While some travelers are avoiding higher air fares this year compared to last, even with higher hotel rates in big U.S. cities many hotels are reporting higher bookings, according to USA Today:

Gail Myer, whose family owns six hotels in Branson, says the mid-week arrival of the holiday isn’t hurting him this year. "(There have) been years when Fourth of July was on a Wednesday (and) it was like it never happened," he says. "That’s not the case this year."

The same is true in Anaheim, Calif., home to Disneyland, says Bill O’Connell, co-owner of four Best Westerns there. He says bookings are up 4% this Fourth compared to the last.

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Geoff Ceasar

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