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Lighter Travel Forecast For Labor Day
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Published: August 23, 2008
TAMPA - Labor Day travel by car and air is expected to decline nationwide for the third consecutive holiday this year, AAA Auto Club South predicted Friday.
It was unclear Friday whether Americans' plans to drive less this Labor Day holiday will help or hurt business at hotels, resorts and tourist attractions in the Tampa Bay area, a travel expert said.
Nationwide, travel projections indicate a 0.9 percent decline from a year ago to 34.4 million travelers making trips at least 50 miles from home. Travel figures for Memorial Day weekend and Independence Day also were down year-over-year.
Despite gasoline prices falling back from July's record levels, auto traffic in the Southeast for the holiday is predicted to decline 0.8 percent, and airline traffic will decline by 3.7 percent, the AAA report stated.
"There's no question that fuel prices have greatly influenced the outlook that many Americans have toward travel," Kevin Bakewell, senior vice president with AAA Auto Club South, said in a statement. "Nonetheless, prices are coming down and a great many of us intend to travel."
It probably won't be known until next week whether tourist attractions, resorts and hotels in the Bay area will benefit from increased Labor Day business from residents who choose to enjoy their holiday locally rather than taking long trips, said DT Minich, executive director of Visit St. Petersburg-Clearwater. The group is Pinellas County's tourist development agency.
"It is too soon to tell," Minich said. "If the weather is good, we could get strong in-state and local business. But those who drive have the option to wait until they make their decisions. The way the weather is now, people are going to wait until next week to make plans."
Although gasoline prices have dropped more than 25 cents a gallon in recent weeks, prices at the gas pump remain about $1 a gallon higher in Florida this year compared with 2007.
The greatest Labor Day weekend activity will originate in the West, with 9 million travelers, followed by the Southeast, with 8 million travelers.
The AAA survey was based on a national telephone survey of more than 2,000 adults.
The predicted decline in Labor Day air travel matches a report released Monday by the Air Transport Association that said ridership between Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 would decline 5.7 percent, to 16 million passengers.
"We expect airplanes to be less full and skies to be less crowded this Labor Day weekend," the industry group's chief executive, James May, said in a statement.
"Economic uncertainty and the heavy hit from sky-high energy prices mean that many vacation and business travelers are choosing to stay closer to home - if they go at all," he said.
A recent Orbitz.com survey of the top Labor Day weekend destinations from hotel and package bookings shows Las Vegas at No.1, followed by New York, Cancun, Chicago and Honolulu.
Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817 or tjackovics@ tampatrib.com.
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