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Year-end holiday travel in country predicted to increase, according to AAA

Posted 12/15/10

Year-end holiday travel in the U.S. is predicted to increase more than 3 percent over last year, according to AAA of Western and Central New York. The auto club says the forecast reflects an upward …

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Year-end holiday travel in country predicted to increase, according to AAA

Posted

Year-end holiday travel in the U.S. is predicted to increase more than 3 percent over last year, according to AAA of Western and Central New York.

The auto club says the forecast reflects an upward trend in travel all year.

AAA projects 92.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holidays, an increase of 3.1 percent from the 89.5 million who traveled last year. The travel period this year is defined as Thursday, Dec. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 2.

“This is the fifth consecutive holiday period where AAA has projected a year-to-year increase,” said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. “After a challenging year in 2009, pent-up demand has resulted in more Americans traveling in 2010, and the year-end holidays are no exception.”

More than nine out of 10 will drive to their holiday destinations

Approximately 85.7 million people -- 93 percent of all holiday travelers -- will drive to their destinations during the year-end travel period, representing a 3.2 percent increase from the 83 million who drove last year.

They also predict that the number of air travelers will increase by nearly three percent.

Average travel distance is expected to be up 33 percent, as median spending increases 3.5 percent.