AAA Projects Slight Drop In Holiday Travel From Near-Record 2001 Period

    ORLANDO, Fla.--Dec. 10, 2002--The 59.1 million Americans who plan to travel 50 miles or more from home this Christmas-New Year's period is down about 1 percent from the near-record 59.9 million people who took a trip during the 2001 holiday, according to AAA.
    A total of 45.9 million travelers expect to take a trip by motor vehicle this holiday, approximately 3 percent fewer than last year's 47.4 million.
    Another 11.2 million plan to go by airplane, nearly 7 percent more than the 10.5 million during the same period in 2001. An additional two million are expected to take a trip by train, bus or other mode of transportation, the same number as last year.
    Although travel may be down slightly from a year ago, this Christmas-New Year's should be the third heaviest traveled in at least the last nine years. A record 63 million people traveled over the 1995 holiday period.
    "The most encouraging aspect of this year's travel forecast is that for the second straight holiday Americans are returning to the skies in increasing numbers," said AAA Travel Vice President Sandra Hughes. AAA projected a 6 percent increase in Thanksgiving holiday air travel.
    Hughes also pointed out that this year's total travel projection is still expected to be nearly 4 percent higher than the 2000 Christmas-New Year's holiday when 57.1 million people took a trip.
    The Southeast is expected to have the greatest number of auto travelers, with 12.1 million. Other regions and their expected numbers of motorists include the West, 11.5 million; Midwest, 9.7 million; Great Lakes, 7.3 million; and Northeast, 5.3 million.
    According to AAA's survey, 33 percent of travelers plan to visit a town or rural area while another 31 percent expect to go to a city. Other popular destinations include: ocean/beach, 14 percent; mountains, 7 percent; state/national park, 3 percent; theme/amusement park, 3 percent; lake area; 2 percent; don't know or other, 7 percent.
    While 57 percent of travelers plan to stay with a friend or relative, another 32 percent will be staying at a hotel or motel. Other lodging plans include: cabin/condo, 5 percent; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 1 percent; bed and breakfast, 1 percent; no overnight stay or don't know, 4 percent.
    AAA's holiday travel projections are based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults conducted by the Travel Industry Association, which does special research for AAA.
    As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its more than 45 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at http://www.aaa.com.