Holiday Travel to Hit Record High
18 December 1998
Holiday Travel to Hit Record High
LOS ANGELES--Dec. 17, 1998--More Southern Californians are expected to fly, drive, cruise or ride to distant destinations over this Christmas/New Year's holiday than during any previous holiday period, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Travel experts at the Auto Club say the number of Americans taking long-distance Christmas trips has increased 66 percent since 1990, partly because people have moved farther out from major cities.
"Our travel clients, particularly those who are retirees or who have two-income families, have found that the end of the year is an ideal time not just for reunions, but also for family getaways," said Tim Irwin, manager of travel services for the Auto Club. "Lower fuel prices also tend to spur more people to take holiday road trips, and prices have dropped an average of 19 cents per gallon since last December."
An Auto Club survey of members' holiday travel plans reflects the trend toward getaway vacations. The most popular Christmas/New Year's destinations for Southern Californians, in order, are: Las Vegas, San Francisco, the San Bernardino mountains, San Diego, and in a three-way tie for fifth place, Santa Barbara, the Grand Canyon, and New York City.
Arline Dillman, the Auto Club's safety expert, said that holiday travelers should protect themselves from becoming a crime victim whether they're on the road, in a hotel, at the airport, or on a cruise ship.
"Vacationers can be easy targets for criminals, because it's easy for those on holiday to forget to take safety precautions," Dillman said.
The Auto Club advises holiday vacationers to:
-- Relax, but remain aware of your surroundings.
-- Trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, get
away quickly to a safer place with lots of people.
-- In hotel rooms or cruise ship staterooms, keep entry and
balcony doors locked, using deadbolts and chains wherever
possible.
-- Don't open your door to anyone you are not expecting. If
someone claims to be a repairman, call the purser's office or
hotel front desk for verification.
-- If you go out at night, stay with a group in lighted, busy
areas.
-- Any time you are in danger, make as much noise as possible to
attract attention.
-- If you do become a crime victim while vacationing, report it
to the local authorities immediately, make a written or
photographic record of damages or injuries, and seek medical
attention if necessary. If local authorities are not responsive,
contact an attorney.
A national survey of 1,500 people, conducted for AAA, projects that 9.2 million people in the 13 western states will take an auto trip of at least 100 miles over this holiday season. However, because there are more available travel days during the Christmas season than during other holidays, traffic engineers are predicting less holiday roadway congestion.
Overall, the national AAA survey projected that 45.2 million people would take long-distance trips at the end of the year, and that almost half of those people would not be staying at the home of a friend or relative.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs and legislative advocacy.
Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
