Holiday travel was up significantly in North America this 4th of July compared to last year, but few of those travelers headed to the Gulf Coast, according to reports.
Independence Day travel was up 17 percent this weekend, and that’s just people driving, says the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Air travel was up seven percentt. But AAA spokesman Mike Wright says fears of the Gulf oil disaster has vacationers going farther away from the northern gulf coast.
"They may go further east, further west, they may be a little anxious about what they’re going to find," Wright said.
Many hotels and tourist attractions are dropping prices during what should be their peak demand season to try and bring in more business, according to Wright.
Meanwhile, Expedia Media, the advertising sales division of the online travel company Expedia Inc., announced plans to provide marketing support to travel destinations affected by the Gulf oil spill.
During July, August and September, Expedia Media will offer a 3-to-1 matching program for destination marketing organizations and tourism boards in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Organizations in these areas will receive $3 in marketing value for every $1 spent with Expedia Media.
”The matching program will allow destinations to stretch their promotional dollars and further increase their visibility among travel shoppers visiting the Expedia Inc. sites,” a company spokesman said.
By David Wilkening
