The auto club says consumers feel more confidence.
Nottingham, Md (KM) Marylanders are expected to be traveling a lot this upcoming Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, and the rest of the summer. According to a survey by AAA Mid-Atlantic, 63% of respondents say they are considering or planning a trip over the next few months.
Ragina Ali, Public Relations Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic, says the auto club is seeing this in increased bookings compared to last year when much of the country was in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “They do have some COVID-related travel concerns,” she said. “Again, that being said, it does not look that’s going to impact travel this Memorial Day Holiday Weekend.”
Ali says a lot of people want to get in as much travel as they can to make up for last year. “People are doing what we are calling revenge travel in that they are either booking longer trips, they may be booking multiple trips,” she says. “And in many cases at AAA, our travel advisers are telling us that as soon as people are fully vaccinated, they’re coming and booking a trip, wanting to get out of town.”
AAA says many travelers plan to go by car. “Despite gas prices being the highest that we’ve seen for the holiday since 2014, the vast majority of Americans–about 34-million of them, including nearly 747,000 Marylanders–will be driving this holiday weekend,” says Ali
If you’re one of them, the auto club urges you to get your car road-ready, by checking the brakes and tires, oil and other fluids.
Despite the confidence Marylanders have that COVID-19 is behind them, Ali says we all still need to be careful as the virus is still out there. “So with the reopening of most states and CDC guidance indicating that fully vaccinated people can resume pre-pandemic activities, including travel, at low risk to themselves, it’s important that we still continue to take those proper precautions,” she says.
The survey was conducted by Public Policy Polling, which polled 622 Maryland residents from April 23rd to the 24th. The margin of error is plus or minus 3%
The auto club says its projections are based on economic forecasting and research conducted by IHS Markit, a London-based business information provider.
By Kevin McManus