Record Numbers to Travel This Thanksgiving, AAA Says
19 November 1998
Record Numbers to Travel This Thanksgiving, AAA Says
ORLANDO, Fla.--Nov. 18, 1998--If you're planning to leave town for Thanksgiving, AAA estimates you will be part of a record 33.6 million Americans expected to travel 100 miles or more from home during the holiday weekend.
The volume is nearly 2 percent higher than the 33 million Americans who took a trip during Thanksgiving last year.
AAA estimates 27.7 million motorists plan to travel by automobile, light truck or recreational vehicle, up 2 percent over the 27.2 million motorists who took a trip last Thanksgiving.
Another 5.9 million will travel by airplane, train or bus, also a 2 percent increase from 5.8 million last year. -
The Southeast will generate the greatest number of auto travelers with 7.2 million, followed by the West, 5.4 million; Midwest, 5.3 million; Great Lakes, 4.9 million; and Northeast, 4.9 million.
Sixty-three percent of holiday travelers expect to stay with family and friends, while another 23 percent plan to stay overnight at a hotel or motel. Other lodging plans include: cabin/condo, 4 percent; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 3 percent; other, 1 percent; and don't know or no overnight stay, 6 percent.
Cities and towns/rural areas top the list of destinations, with 35 percent of travelers going to each. Other destinations include oceans/beaches, 11 percent; mountains, 8 percent; lakes, 6 percent; state/national parks, 2 percent; theme/amusement parks, 2 percent; and other, 1 percent.
AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 93 clubs with 1,100 offices providing more than 41 million members in the United States and Canada with services such as travel, financial, insurance and auto-related.
AAA news releases can be downloaded from http://www.aaa.com/news
Projected Number of Thanksgiving, 1998 Travelers
By Automobile/Trucks/RV
By Census Region of Residence
Population Percent Number of Auto
(Millions) Traveling Travelers
by Auto (Millions)
Total United States 267.6 10% 27.7
Northeast 51.6 9% 4.9
Southeast 64.6 11% 7.2
Great Lakes 43.9 11% 4.9
Midwest 48.2 11% 5.3
West 59.4 9% 5.4
(a) 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: Travel Industry Association, AAA
Thanksgiving
Travel
Comparison
(in millions) 1998 1995 1990 1985
Auto/Truck/RV 27.7(a) 25.6 20.4 23.0
Other 5.9(a) 5.3 4.4 4.0
Total 33.6(a) 30.9 24.8 27.0
(a) equals Projected figure