Thanksgiving travelers to increase this year

More Americans will be travelling further this Thanksgiving according to the latest forecast from AAA.
 
Based on IHS Global Insight research, AAA projects 38.4 million Americans will be travelling 50 miles or more away from home during this Thanksgiving holiday, up 1.4 percent year-on-year.

This is good news considering travel during the holiday last year dropped 25.2 percent year-on-year in the wake of the financial crisis.

In terms of transport, the number of travelers using automobiles is expected to increase 2.1 percent to 33.2 million while air travel will decline 6.7 percent to 2.3 million.

The number of travelers using “other” means (trains, watercraft, and buses) is forecast to increase 1.2 percent to 2.9 million compared to 2.8 million last year.

AAA said the expected increase in travel reflects improved consumer confidence, better financial market performance.

“Although far too many Americans remain unemployed or under other financial stress, AAA’s projected increase in Thanksgiving travel from one year ago is another hopeful sign that economic conditions are stabilizing and improving in some areas” said AAA Wisconsin regional president Tom Frymark.

“We can also be thankful the gradual recovery we have been seeing in the U.S. travel industry since the start of the summer is continuing”