Americans To Travel in Record Numbers This Thanksgiving, Says AAA
18 November 1997
Americans To Travel in Record Numbers This Thanksgiving, Says AAA
ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 18 -- This year's Thanksgiving has all
the fixings of a record travel holiday as 32.4 million Americans expect to
take a trip of 100 miles or more from home -- that's up 3 percent from last
year, according to AAA.
"Whether it's a gathering with family and friends or a mini-vacation away
from it all -- or both -- this Thanksgiving should be the busiest in AAA's
13 years of tracking holiday travel projections," said Graeme Clarke, senior
vice president, AAA Travel Related Services.
AAA estimates 27.2 million will travel by automobile, light truck or
recreational vehicle, a 3 percent increase from the 26.5 million who took a
trip last Thanksgiving.
Another 5.2 million will travel by airplane, train or bus, up 4 percent
compared to 5 million last year.
The greatest number of auto travelers will originate in the Southeast with
7.1 million, followed by the West, 5.4 million; Midwest, 5.2 million; Great
Lakes, 4.8 million; and Northeast, 4.7 million.
Most holiday travelers -- 62 percent -- expect to stay with family and
friends, while 26 percent plan to stay overnight at a hotel or motel. Other
plans include: cabin/condo, 5 percent; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 2 percent;
boat/ship, 1 percent; and don't know or aren't staying overnight, 4 percent.
An estimated 46 percent will head for a city this Thanksgiving, while
30 percent will travel to a town or rural area; ocean/beach, 9 percent;
mountain area, 8 percent; state/national park, 2 percent; theme/amusement
park, 2 percent; lake area, 1 percent; and other or don't know,
2 percent.
The most mobile group this Thanksgiving will be Americans 18-34 years of
age. Of that segment, an estimated 24 percent intend to travel -- 63 percent
will hit the road and 27 percent will fly to their destination. The remaining
10 percent will travel by train, bus or other.
Additional Thanksgiving travel demographics:
-- Of those Americans 35-54 years of age, an estimated 17 percent plan a
Thanksgiving getaway -- 79 percent by auto, light truck or RV; 14 percent will
fly; and 7 percent will travel by train, bus or other.
-- Of those 55 and older, 12 percent expect to travel -- 69 percent will
go by auto, light truck or RV; 12 percent will fly; and 19 percent will go by
train, bus or other.
AAA's holiday travel projections are based on a national travel survey of
1,500 adults by the Travel Industry Association, which conducts special
research for AAA.
AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 97 motor clubs, providing its
40 million members in the United States and Canada with a complete line of
travel, financial, insurance and automotive-related services.
Projected Number of Thanksgiving 1997 Travelers By Automobile/Trucks/RV
By Census Region of Residence
Population Percent Number of Travelers
(Millions) Traveling (Millions)
Total United States 265.3 10% 27.2
Northeast 51.6 9% 4.7
Southeast 63.8 11% 7.1
Great Lakes 43.6 11% 4.8
Midwest 47.8 11% 5.2
West 58.5 9% 5.4
* NORTHEAST: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont; Middle Atlantic: New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania; SOUTHEAST: South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West
Virginia; East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee; GREAT
LAKES: East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin;
MIDWEST: West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota; West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma,
Texas; WEST: Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, Wyoming, Utah; Pacific: Washington, Oregon, California.
SOURCE: U.S. Travel Data Center, AAA
SOURCE American Automobile Association
