Leisure Travel Expected to Remain Steady

FAMILIES across the country are trying to find a way to swing a summer vacation in difficult times. It's a challenge, but with a little creativity and compromise, many are finding ways to make it happen. Among the tactics that can help: avoid the crowds and be prepared to bargain. Consider shorter trips and the great outdoors. Off-the-beaten path locations can cost far less and look at off-peak times. National parks and recreation areas can be bargain destinations, and with the global recession weakening foreign tourism, they are expected to be less crowded this year.

GAS PRICES EXPECTED TO STAY LOW FOR SUMMER. Gasoline prices are expected to be relatively low this summer, so motorists might want to take to the road despite the dismal economy if the federal government projection holds. The Energy Information Administration said regular-grade gasoline is expected to average $2.23 a gallon during the April-through-September driving season, although it will likely fluctuate and could jump to more than $2.30 a gallon during the peak driving period in late summer. But that's a bargain compared with last summer, when gasoline cost an average of $3.81 a gallon.

WELCOME to the great American road trip, 2009. From the Grand Canyon to Orlando to the Wisconsin Dells, concession and hotel operators are gearing up for a large influx of roadsters. Millions of Americans are planning to hit the highways this year as long-range drives come back into vogue. It's a resurgence fed by cheaper gas, childhood memories and a general reluctance o splurge by people who are fearful for their jobs, travel analysts said. Others are fed up with air travel, preferring the grind of the road to delays and fees. "In times like these-and we've seen this before-people tend to go back to things like national parks and heritage vacations to spend quality family time," said Bruce Bossman, director of reservations and sales for the Grand Canyon Railway, a tourist attractions that runs near the canyon's southern rim.

LEISURE TRAVEL INTENTIONS UP SLIGHTLY. According to the February Travel Horizons survey, the U.S. Traveler Sentiment Index rose to 90.2 in February 2009 from 78.2 in October 2008 due to an increase in the perceived "affordability of travel." The Index is a derivative of six separate statistical measures that have been tracked since March 2007, at which time the Index was pegged at 100. The spike in the perceived affordability of travel appears to be a direct result of many travel suppliers' recent efforts to stimulate short-term demand through the aggressive promotion of discounted fares and rates. Promotional pricing and related incentives are now offered by suppliers representing practically every segment of the travel industry from airlines to cruise lines, hotel companies, attractions and rental car companies, some of which are featuring rates and fares that are up to 50 percent off the prices being quoted just six months ago.

"We are very encouraged that more people are signaling a willingness to travel for leisure purposes," said Peter C. Yesawich, chairman of Ypartnership. "This is the first increase we have observed in the Index since January 2008, which indicates that the discounts travel providers and destinations are offering are working to attract more travelers, even in this down economy. As it turns out, this is actually a terrific time to travel because some of these great deals are sure to disappear once the industry begins to recover."

Source: Southeastern Tourism Society