Increased Holiday Travel Expected by AAA
14 December 2000
Increased Holiday Travel Expected by AAA
ORLANDO, Fla.--Dec. 14, 2000--This Christmas/New Year's holiday, 60.6 million Americans are expected to travel 100 miles or more from home, a 4 percent increase over last year's 58.3 million people, according to AAA.Approximately 44.9 million travelers plan to go by auto this holiday, a 5 percent increase over last year. Another 15.7 million will travel by airplane, train or bus, up 3 percent.
The Southeast is expected to have the greatest numbers of auto travelers, with 12.4 million. Other regions and their expected numbers of motorists include the West, 10 million; Midwest, 9.7 million; Great Lakes, 7.6 million; and Northeast, 5.2 million.
According to AAA's survey, 37 percent of travelers plan to visit a city while another 33 percent expect to go to a town or rural area. Other popular destinations include: mountains, 12 percent; ocean/beach, 11 percent; lake, 2 percent; state/national park, 1 percent; other, 3 percent; don't know or no response, 1 percent.
While 58 percent of travelers plan to stay with a friend or relative, another 26 percent will be staying at a hotel or motel. Other lodging plans include: cabin/condo, 6 percent; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 2 percent; boat/ship, 1 percent; bed and breakfast, 1 percent; no overnight stay, 6 percent.
AAA's holiday travel projections are based on a national telephone survey of 1,500 adults conducted by the Travel Industry Association, which does special research for AAA.