As summer unofficially comes to a close this weekend, 33 percent of consumers are planning a Labor Day trip, according to a survey released last week by TripAdvisor. That’s an increase of 6 percent over last year.
A separate study by AAA said more people would travel for Labor Day this year than at any time since the 2008 financial crisis, thanks to the improving economy. Nationally, gas prices are averaging $3.55 per gallon http://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/, up slightly from a week ago but down more than 22 cents from this time last year.
While they may save on gas prices, consumers will see higher prices throughout the rest of their travel. Domestic airfare inched up 1 percent since last year, while hotel prices are up a full 12 percent year over year, according to Travelocity. The average cost of a domestic round trip ticket for Labor Day weekend is $335, while hotel stays average $171 per night, the site found.
Almost two-thirds of travelers surveyed by TripAdvisor plan to drive their destination, while 30 percent said they’ll be flying. A quarter of those surveyed said they would be visiting the great outdoors. Another quarter planned to hit the beach and 20 percent said they’d visit a city.
The arrival of September won’t spell the end of travel for sure. Among those surveyed by TripAdvisor, 86 percent said they were planning on traveling this fall, with 56 percent planning to take a vacation lasting a week or longer.
“Fall is the perfect time to get away, giving travelers the opportunity to enjoy milder weather, smaller crowds, and lower prices,” Brooke Ferencsik, a TripAdvisor spokeswoman, said in a statement.
