AAA Texas Survey: Despite Record Gas Prices, Texans Still Plan Summer Vacations

IRVING, TX--(Marketwire - June 25, 2008) - Despite record gas prices and concerns about the economy, a majority of AAA Texas members are planning to take at least the same amount of vacation trips this summer compared to last year, and almost 90 percent will make at least one out-of-town summer getaway, according to a new survey by AAA.

The survey showed that 53 percent of AAA Texas members plan to travel about the same amount this summer as last year, while 15 percent plan to take more trips than last year and 31 percent expect to take fewer trips.

"Our members are concerned about the impact of high gas prices on their budgets," said Mark Bell, AAA Texas vice president and general manager. "But most are not giving up on summer vacations. People are finding ways to continue traveling."

Nearly three-quarters of surveyed members stated that they expected to spend about the same amount or more on travel compared to last summer, while 28 percent said they expected to spend less. When asked why they expected to spend less, 71 percent of the latter group cited record gas prices as their primary reason.

Nearly 90 percent of AAA Texas members surveyed said they plan to take at least one leisure trip this summer, while 12 percent are not planning any trips.

When asked where they will be taking their next summer trip, in-state destinations such as Austin, Dallas and San Antonio were most often cited, followed by Florida, Las Vegas, and California. Most travelers (52 percent) planned to drive to their next travel destination, while 39 percent planned to fly.

AAA Texas members stated that the destination was the most important factor in planning their next trip, followed by: available entertainment/recreation activities, cost, the ease of reaching the destination and the celebration of a special event.

Fifty-five percent of summer travelers said they planned to spend more than $1,000 on their next summer trip, while 28 percent expected to spend between $500 and $1,000, and 27 percent planned to spend less than $500.

Regarding the length of the trip, nearly half of the surveyed summer travelers stated that their next trip will last between four and seven days, while 20 percent will take between one and two weeks on their next vacation and 26 percent will take trips of three days or less.

Most travelers said they plan to either travel with one other person (43 percent) or alone (20 percent) on their next leisure trip.

The AAA Texas survey was conducted via e-mail between May 13 and June 2, and polled more than 350 members. On the survey, a "trip" was defined as one with a distance at least 50 miles away from home and involving an overnight stay.

More information about summer travel deals -- and free maps and TourBook information for AAA Texas members -- is available at any of the 25 AAA Texas offices throughout the state, and online travel planning is available at www.AAA.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Dan Ronan (469) 583-7070 (cell) Rose Rougeau (713) 284-6552