How dismal are travel projections during this Memorial Day?
AAA did not issue a Memorial Day travel forecast, which estimates the number of people traveling during the holiday weekend, for the first time in 20 years.
“Last year, 43 million Americans traveled for Memorial Day weekend – the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes in 2000,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “With social distancing guidelines still in practice, this holiday weekend’s travel volume is likely to set a record low.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to significantly suppress travel over the Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial start of the summer travel season – but there are indications that people have begun planning for future trips. #AAA #Travel https://t.co/ZVqgNK2KV2 pic.twitter.com/Pr0CCstEjj
— AAA Travel (@AAA_Travel) May 14, 2020
The current record low is 31 million travelers during the Great Recession in 2009.
Because of the coronavirus, many states have issued stay-at-home orders and other restrictions. As those continue to ease throughout the country, more people are expected to travel again.
The agency does expect an increase in travel in summer and fall and yes, the Memorial Day travel forecast is expected to be in place again next year.
Cox Media Group