1 Million Michiganians Have Holiday Travel Plans, Says AAA

Family is focus in 2004

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 9 -- It's over the river and through the woods for most Michigan holiday travelers this year, confirms AAA's latest travel survey. A whopping 87 percent of Christmas travelers will visit relatives this year -- the highest number in three years (64 percent in 2003 and 65 percent in 2002) -- and 82 percent of travelers will stay in relatives' homes (versus 44 percent in 2003).

Overall, an estimated 1 million Michiganians have planned a Christmas vacation this year, says AAA. The number represents a 66-percent increase over last year, when 600,000 travelers were predicted.

"The leisure travel market is continuing to grow back to pre-9/11 levels," said Cathy Green, vice president of sales and service for The Auto Club Group (ACG). "For domestic holiday travel, however, we're seeing a resurgence in more traditional, family-oriented travel patterns."

According to AAA Michigan's holiday travel survey, slightly more than half of those traveling (53 percent) will be traveling outside of Michigan during the upcoming Christmas holiday, down from 84 percent in 2003.

Based on projected requests for TripTik(R) routings and AAA Travel air reservations, the most popular destinations outside Michigan this winter are:

  1)  Orlando, Florida
  2)  Myrtle Beach, Florida
  3)  Nashville, Tennessee
  4)  Naples, Florida
  5)  Daytona Beach, Florida

  Other survey findings:

* More travelers will take a car, truck or van to their final destinations this holiday (68 percent versus 52 percent in 2003). Thirty-two percent will fly to their final destination -- a decrease of 12 percentage points from last year.

* The average Christmas vacation will last 7 days and the cost will average $774.

Michigan motorists can expect to pay about 39.4 cents more for a gallon of gas this year ($1.858 as of December 8), compared with last year at this time.

The official 54-hour Christmas holiday period begins at 6 p.m. Friday, December 24 and runs to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, December 26. The 2004-2005 New Year holiday period (also 54 hours) begins at 6 p.m. Friday, December 31 and runs to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 2, 2005.

During last year's 102-hour Christmas holiday period, there were six traffic fatalities reported by the Michigan State Police. Of the six fatal crashes, two (33.3 percent) involved alcohol. Restraints were not used by five of the six victims who had them available.

During last year's 102-hour New Year holiday period, six people died in six fatal traffic crashes. Of the six fatal crashes, one (16.6 percent) involved alcohol. Restraints were not used by four of the six victims who had them available.

Michigan's safety belt law requires that the driver and all front seat passengers be buckled, children under the age of four must be in a child safety seat, preferably in the back seat, and children up to age 16 must be restrained no matter where they're riding. AAA Michigan urges motorists to allow extra time, buckle safety belts, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol (for an online list of nonalcoholic drink recipes, visit http://www.aaa.com/ ).