Interest in Auto Trips Shows Upturn, AAA National Travel Barometer Shows
ORLANDO, Fla.--April 3, 2003--Interest in auto travel appears to be on the upswing as requests for AAA's Internet TripTik(R) routings increased nearly 4 percent last week, after dropping more than 9 percent the previous week when the war with Iraq began.The weekly AAA National Travel Barometer shows requests for online TripTik routings the week of March 24 reached approximately 107,000 compared to 103,300 the week before. Although overall travel agency bookings were down for the second consecutive week of the barometer, reservations for hotels and car rentals and visits to AAA offices increased.
The AAA barometer is based on a sample of 13 clubs representing more than half of the association's 46 million members. It is intended to help gauge the strength of the leisure travel market.
"It appears that some Americans may be moving away from following the war on their television sets long enough to make travel plans," said Sandra Hughes, vice president of AAA Travel. "It is not unexpected that people think first of drive vacations when a war is underway and with growing concerns about the flu-like illness that originated abroad."
Overall AAA Travel Agency bookings -- cruises, tour packages, car rentals and hotels -- last week (27,800) were at 94 percent of what they were the previous week (29,500). Bookings last week reached 77 percent of the same period a year ago (36,000) based on the sampling of the 13 clubs.
A summary of the AAA National Travel Barometer's measurements for the week of March 24 compared to the week of March 17 shows:
| -- | Car rentals totaled 107 percent (more than 4,000) as opposed to the March 17 week (nearly 3,800). |
| -- | Hotel reservations (11,500) were slightly ahead of the previous week (11,400). |
| -- | Cruise bookings were at 85 percent (4,800) of bookings the preceding week (5,600). |
| -- | Tour packages were 86 percent (7,500) of the previous week's total (8,700). |
Visits to AAA's more than 1,000 travel offices were at 107 percent (29,200) of the same period last week (27,300).
Since difficulties in the airline industry have been widely documented, this is not part of the barometer.
"Hopefully, the positive signs we saw last week will continue in the weeks ahead and more Americans will resume making their leisure travel plans," Hughes said.
As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully-tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
EDITOR'S NOTE: AAA's National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel.
