Memorial Day Travelers Favor Local Destinations, Says AAA
HOUSTON--May 15, 2003--Nearly 3.2 million Texans -- almost 15 percent of the state's residents -- are expected to take Memorial Day weekend trips this year, according to AAA Texas.That's one of the highest numbers of projected travelers in the last 10 years, although it is slightly lower compared to last year's Memorial Day weekend. In 2002, 3.21 million Texans traveled to holiday destinations over the Memorial Day holiday.
"It appears that people who have been putting off vacation trips in the last few months are now starting to take them," said AAA Texas spokesperson Carol Thorp. "That's an encouraging sign for this holiday and for summer travel."
Driving-distance destinations are among the most popular for Texas residents. More than 82 percent of those traveling, or 2.6 million Texans, will be driving to their getaways this holiday weekend. That's about the same number as those who took driving vacations last year at this time.
According to a AAA Travel survey of agents, the most popular driving getaways for AAA members include: South Padre Island; Destin, Fla.; Big Bend National Park; San Antonio; and Galveston, which is also the top destination for cruise travelers heading to the Caribbean.
Holiday drivers will benefit from slashed gas prices that are about the same as a year ago. With an average gas price of $1.358, according to this month's AAA Fuel Gauge, Texas is one of about a dozen U.S. states with gas prices under $1.40. Texas gas prices have dropped by an average of more than 11 cents in the last month.
Almost 460,000 state residents, or almost 14 percent of travelers, are expected to fly to their holiday destinations -- a 5.5 percent drop compared to last year's air travel. The AAA Travel survey shows that the most popular air destinations for members include Orlando, Cancun and Las Vegas.
AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.
TEXAS MEMORIAL DAY TRAVELERS 2003 (Projected) 2002 ---------------------------- ---------------- ---- Auto Travel 2.61 million 2.62 million Air Travel 435,600 459,600 Other Travel (i.e., cruise, train, bus) 129,800 129,800 Total Travelers 3.179 million 3.21 million