One Last Summer Travel Getaway

jennifer on September 4th, 2009

Photo Credit: Outer Banks Visitors Bureau

Today, many are packing up their cars or preparing to board aircraft for a last summer getaway. Already, the cooler temperatures across the Midwest and eastern shore are previewing the change of seasons. AAA predicts that 39.1 million are taking a Labor Day vacation, which represents a 13.3 percent decrease compared to last year’s record breaking weekend travelers. Two reasons for the decrease are cited to the lateness of the actual holiday and that school has already started for many families.

Despite the predicted decrease the amount of travelers should surpass July 4^th holiday vacations.

“AAA expects this Labor Day holiday weekend to be the third busiest of the decade, even though the number of travelers will be down from one year ago,” said AAA President & CEO, Robert L. Darbelnet. “However, with Labor day falling a week later this year when many children will have returned to school, the decline may more to do with the calendar than with the economy. Our forecast shows Labor Day travel will be up over this summer’s 4^th of July holiday and that’s a positive sign.”

The preferred travel mode this holiday weekend is via car with 84 percent compared to four percent of vacationers expected to travel by airline for Labor Day trips, according to AAA. With air trips to be taken by only 1.5 million travelers, this will be the lowest number of trips by flying this decade for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

TripAdvisor revealed its Labor Day survey results demonstrating a slight increase of fall travelers. Eighty-four percent of travelers plan to take leisure trips this fall, up from 82 percent one year ago, and 43 percent said they will be traveling more this autumn than last, as revealed in the survey.

Particularly for Labor Day, 30 percent of respondents said they are traveling this weekend, nearly equal to 31 percent one year ago. Other TripAdvisor survey findings include 70 percent of travelers expect to drive to their destinations this Labor Day and 49 percent plan to travel more than 300 miles for the holiday.

Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor says “Based on what travelers are researching on TripAdvisor recently, it appears the Carolinas and Florida may be travel hot spots this fall.”

Five of Florida’s cities look to be a fall hotspot as they are appearing in the top 10 most-searched U.S. cities with airfares currently under $199. The top three most browsed destinations over the past month on TripAdvisor include: Coastal South Carolina, Jersey Shore and Florida Keys.

It’s not too late to escape, even if it’s just for a day trip! Savor the last moments of the summer season. What are your Labor Day or Fall travel plans? Is the economy effecting your travel plans? What about the fear of swine flu?