Labor Day travel forecast: Fewer Americans on the move
Travel this Labor Day holiday could be less stressful for the millions of Americans hitting the roads or heading to the airport, as fewer of us are doing it this year -- lots fewer.
Forecasts call for just 39 million vacationers to jump in the car and head to the hills or the beach. That's 13 percent fewer than last year when 45 million Americans embarked on a Labor Day trip of 50 miles or more, according to projections by AAA, compiled by IHS Global Insight.
The nation's airports will also have fewer travelers. Air travel is expected to fall 20 percent to 1.5 million travelers compared to 1.9 million last year, the report shows. The reduction in airline passengers comes despite a 17 percent drop in air fares.
"There are some things that would make you think that more people would be traveling, but actually a lot fewer are traveling," said Robert Sinclair Jr., spokesman for AAA New York.
Not only is gasoline cheaper, averaging $2.59 a gallon nationwide for self-service regular-grade fuel, compared to $3.68 a gallon a year ago, but consumers can expect to pay less for hotel rooms and rental cars, Sinclair said.
"There a lot of things out there that would be incentives to make people travel, but still we see this appreciable drop off," he said.
AAA attributes the reduced number of travelers in part to a quirk in the calendar. With the Labor Day holiday falling as late as it possibly can, September 7, many children have already returned to school, and parents are opting not to disrupt schedules to accommodate travel.
As much a factor, however, is the nation's economy. Despite recent upbeat reports showing expansion in manufacturing and the service sector, as well as a brightening housing market, many Americans remain concerned about their jobs.
A report issued Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor showed the unemployment rate ticked up to 9.7 percent in August, as employers cut 216,000 jobs, and analysts predict the nation's jobless rate will likely top 10 percent by early next year.
IHS research shows that Americans willingness to travel this Labor Day weekend is directly proportional to the unemployment rate in their state. In states with lower unemployment rates, more people are traveling, and vice versa.
Those who do journey this holiday weekend will average 645 miles round trip, the IHS travel report says. More than one third of travelers will stay relatively close to home, with expected round-trips of 250 miles or less, while 34 percent of weekend travelers will log between 251 and 700 miles. Some 28 percent will travel more than 700 miles round-trip.
While the Labor Day weekend may be quieter in many destinations than last year, the good news for resorts, hoteliers and restaurants is that more Americans are expected to travel this holiday than on July 4. Typically the busiest automobile travel holiday, only 37 million people took to the road this year for Independence Day, despite gasoline prices that were far below last summer's historic highs of well over $4 a gallon.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
9-04-2009 @ 2:02PM
Charles Queen said...
I live in Somerset KY.Gas prices were always very much higher here than in adjoining countie's and citys mainly because it is considered a resort area with lake cumberland and other sttractions.Now though prices are hovering around 2.36-8 a gallon which is really a great suprize for everyone here.Right now there is no reason for gas prices to be any higher than that any where else in the country actually.The government does take advantage of this though as do many states as well by boosting tax's and prices
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9-04-2009 @ 5:13PM
srthread said...
you can come up to Louisville and Pay alot MORE....$2.45+.....I'd rather live where you are and we are actually thinking of moving out there...but I would rather leave Ky all together!
9-04-2009 @ 11:28PM
Greg said...
I suspect there are many reasons: local, county, state taxes; local competition (Congress Parkway & Dearborn, Chicago--$3.10; nine miles west, Austin and Harrison--$2.86); refiners regional formulation; geographic availability (are you on a gasoline pipeline, or fifty miles away?); pricing poilcy of venders. And, just common old free market competition, don't forget that--charge what they will pay and pocket the difference. It's not the gumment, old boy, it's those other rats from EXXON, et.al. who do what they can to keep us in thrall to gasoline so we will keep feeding their pocketbooks. And like stupid humans throughout history, we nod our little-brained heads and say thanks while we curse under our breaths (or on public comments boards like this) and swipe the credit card. I think that if you are not driving a car that gets 40 mpg plus you are effectively electing to pay more for gas, in as much that gas is half as costly at 40 mpg than at 20.
9-04-2009 @ 1:57PM
bailoutsos said...
"A report issued Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor showed the unemployment rate ticked up to 9.7 percent in August, as employers cut 216,000 jobs." ---- Wait, didn't Biden just tell America the Stimulus Recovery Program was working? Maybe those employers did not get the memo?
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9-04-2009 @ 7:11PM
Gerry said...
lol.. I like your statement. Our Govt it seems just couldn't seem connect the dots. Do they really know what is going on in the job market prospects? Also, how can we boost employment when jobs are becoming scarcer and scarcer and by same token, the outsourcing of jobs to other countries continues unabated.
I thin our Govt has sold us out--too late for repentance.. the windmill has started running and there seems to be no way that Amertica can ever get reborn despite the President's promises of no more outsourcing and that jobs are his primary goal... We are doomed!
9-05-2009 @ 11:30PM
Ericsons news said...
This administration is totally disconnected with an American people....
"Spell : J O B S"...what JOBS? It seems that VP has hiring problems and ...amnesia...
GBA!!!
9-06-2009 @ 12:10AM
bailoutsos said...
American jobs or cheap foreign products? Look around your homes and see how you voted with your pocketbook.
9-06-2009 @ 2:35PM
pete said...
But jobs are coming back. Sadly, they are all government jobs in the form of czars and the posses each must hire for staff. All of those government jobs will never end, and the tax payers (that would be us) will be on the hook for never ending, top of the line retirement programs, including healthcare that none of us will ever see anything close to unless we all stand together and DEMAND the same coverage obama and congress reserve for themselves. No other healthcare program is acceptable. What's good enough for our so-called leaders is good enough for ALL of us, after all, WE pay for it!
9-04-2009 @ 3:45PM
bob miller said...
the last time we took a trip of any kind was july of 2008
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9-04-2009 @ 4:26PM
bob said...
the economy is going to get a lot worse over the next 6 months
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9-04-2009 @ 4:57PM
Bothepro24 said...
What don't these reports understand. Unemployment up, those with jobs have work hours cut, wages cut etc. Who can afford to enjoy some family when our government gives the money to those who lost all of ours. No, the government gives us a tax cut, they say it put $1,200,000,000 into the economy. What they don't tell you is the average wage earner gets $8 per week. That's how you get to talk in the billions. They really think we are stupid. And all this talk about affordable healthcare, with my pay cut, in order to pay my bills and eat I cancelled my coverage.
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9-04-2009 @ 5:06PM
Wily said...
Oil going down for the last couple of weeks and gas going up. Summers over and the oil companies cannot stand to see profits shrink. Easy solution. Just raise the price of gas.
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9-04-2009 @ 5:24PM
GeorgeSD said...
You don't understand, Lloyd Blankfein has a new yacht to outfit and that takes cash. So gas isn't going down, no matter if oil was free!!
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9-05-2009 @ 8:09AM
teltech54 said...
13 percent fewer people taking to the roads. (Fewer idiots to have to travel with.) I wonder why this is? Perhaps they don't have any money to spend on things like this? Could it be the recession? The fear of the upcoming DEPRESSION? Remembering someone is going to have to make up the difference in those bailouts via taxes this April? Their local tax bills? Food prices? Losing your job? Losing your house? Losing your savings in a bank failure? Does the government really think they can fool the masses with sugar coated stories?
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9-04-2009 @ 6:07PM
S321Saint said...
Recession? what recession? Remember the VP himself (yes the Smiling Foole) said the recession is over. Obie has made comments on how the policies he put in are working. Just because unemployment is UP to 9.7%. Just because the housing market is still dangerous. Just because the credit industry is in shambles. Just because our debt has QUADRUPLED in just six months. Hey...its OK...go out and max out those credit cards. Drive all over the place. Obie says let the good times roll. Remember when it comes to PAYING for all his programs he will be out of office, living on taxpayer money, protected by tax payer funded secret service, getting tax payer funded medical where he simply walks in, gets treated, walks out, no co-pay, no forms. And while WE are in the depression caused by his politicies..he will be leading the charge to blame it on conservatives, as he tries to rewrite history.
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9-06-2009 @ 11:50PM
davidrep said...
Yep. You describe "dubya" perfectly! Fool!
9-04-2009 @ 6:12PM
Patricia said...
The HECK with this ressession(however its spelled)....I am leaving on a CRUISE tomorrow. :-)
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9-04-2009 @ 6:17PM
John said...
Gas is like $2.80 a gallon here. It is far too expensive for many people to travel. The stimulus package is a two year program that has just started, and yes, it is working. Sorry right wingers. You are irrelevant in our society.
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9-05-2009 @ 8:32AM
jessie said...
and the birds are singing and the sun is shining and everything is rosey in your world.... geeez you LIEberals will defend the obumble even when it is staring at you in the face
9-05-2009 @ 9:41AM
07 Shelby said...
John, you are such a wanker!