AAA predicts 43.4 million Americans, including 1.68 million Ohioans, will travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Wednesday November 27, 2013 to Sunday, December 1, 2013. This is a decrease of 1.5 percent nationwide and 1.7 percent for Ohio from last year.
The recession drove travel volumes down by more than 25 percent in 2008 and 2009, when Ohio’s numbers fell to a decade low of 1.5 million travelers. As the economy began to recover in 2010, so did the travel volumes. This year, due to renewed economic concerns, numbers are slightly below the 2012 peak of 44 million travelers (1.7 million Ohioans).
“While the economy continues to improve, the sluggish pace of the recovery is creating uncertainty in the minds of some consumers,” said AAA Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Marshall L. Doney.
Automobile travel will be the dominant form of transportation with 38.9 million Americans (1.5 million Ohioans) driving this holiday. This accounts for about 90 percent of the holiday travel volume and is a decrease of 1.6 percent nationally and 1.7 percent in Ohio.
Air travel is expected to decline for a third straight Thanksgiving, with 3.14 million Americans, including nearly 122,000 Ohioans flying this holiday. This is a decrease of 3.7 percent nationally and 4.1 percent in Ohio.
The most popular day to travel is Wednesday, Nov. 27, with 37 percent of travelers leaving on this day. Sunday, Dec. 1, is the second busiest travel day, as 33 percent of travelers return home.
AAA estimates that most drivers will experience the lowest Thanksgiving holiday gas prices since 2010. The decreased cost of gas will provide consumers with real savings that could be used for other purposes on the trip.
The top three activities for holiday travelers include:
- Spending time with friends and relatives (67 percent)
- Dining (56 percent)
- Shopping (44 percent)
Holiday Forecast Methodology:
AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA/IHS Global Insight 2013 Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast can be found at NewsRoom.AAA.com.
AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel-, insurance-, financial- and automotive-related services. AAA clubs can be visited online at AAA.com.
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