COLUMBUS – A growing economy means a growing number of travelers.
A record 103.1 million Americans, including more than 4.2 million Ohioans, will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday period, Dec. 23 through Jan. 2, 2017, according to estimates from the auto club AAA.
That is an increase of 1.5 percent nationally and 2 percent in Ohio despite the fact that this year’s reporting period is one day shorter than last year’s, the eighth straight year of increases during the year-end holiday travel period.
The auto club estimates approximately 92 percent of Ohio travelers, or about 3.9 million, will drive to their destinations.
The club says increased consumer optimism and spending, labor market improvements, rising wages and lower gasoline prices are helping to drive the increase.
The AAA says about 2.5 percent Americans will fly to their destinations despite a 17 percent rise in the average round trip air fare to $204.