AAA says it’s the first decline in summer travel since 2009.
Towson, Md (KM) It’s summer vacation time, and not too people will be heading out this year. AAA projects Americans will be taking 700-million trips between July and September, 2020. That’s down 15% from last year.
Ragina Ali with AAA Mid-Atlantic says it’s the first decline in travel since 2009. “Day trips will account for 97% of summer trips,” she says. “We’re seeing that obviously cruise and rail travel is down by 86%, and airline travel is down about 74%.”
In addition to that, Ali says there is more spur of the moment and last minute travel plans, and more extended weekends.
She says a lot of it could be due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the slow economy. “A trend is showing that travelers are eager to explore, but are also very cautious,” Ali says.
But for those who are traveling, Ali recommends you do some research on line about the coronavirus. “Check the CDC’s COVID-19 Data Tracker as well as municipal and state health departments and local news for updates on coronavirus cases, and continue to do that while you’re traveling,”: says Ali. You can also check the AAA COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map at Triptik.AAA.com for the latest state and local travel restrictions.
Before heading out, she says bring along plenty of face coverings, gloves and cleaning supplies.
And make sure you clean and sanitize your hotel or motel room. “We know that hotels are taking extra precautions and doing thorough cleaning. But you still want to be extra safe and use wipes to wipe down things like the doorknobs, areas in the bathroom, the remote control for the TV, things of that nature,” says Ali.
“Depending on where you’re going, the requirements vary regarding face coverings,” says Ali “But they’re still very much recommended by the CDC as well as social distancing.”
By Kevin McManus