Every sector of the travel industry will be up this summer, setting new records, says the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).
Said Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research for the TIA:
“The momentum in travel recovery that began in earnest last year is continuing in the summer with a 2.3% increase in leisure travel. That means that Americans will take 328 million leisure person-trips during June, July and August.”
A person-trip is one person traveling 50 miles or more away from home.
US travel expenditures this year should hit $600 billion for the first time, according to Ms Cook.
“Increasing travel demand is benefiting most sectors of the travel industry, and with it has come a corresponding increase in US travel expenditures by both domestic and international travelers,” said Ms Cook.”
Rising travel prices the first three months of this year have not discouraged American travelers, but it has made them look for ways to economize.
“Planes will be full this summer as Americans return to the skies,” said Ms Cook.
Air travel is expected to increase 4% this summer. And RV travel should continue with double digit increases.
Travelers plan on spending an average of $1,019 on their longest leisure trip this summer, a decrease of 7% from last year.
“What we see here is a trend to take more trips during the year of shorter duration. So while spending per trip is down, the number of trips is up,” said Ms Cook.
TIA is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $600 billion travel industry.
Report by David Wilkening
