ATLANTA — The number of Georgians traveling at least 50 miles this Thanksgiving is expected to increase by 3.3 percent compared to last year, AAA said.
Nationwide, the number of travelers this holiday is projected to increase by 4 percent, the organization predicts. Travelers hitting the road will account for approximately 90 percent of all travelers this holiday.
In Georgia, the number of travelers driving this holiday is expected to increase by 3.3 percent, while air travel is expected to rise by 1.2 percent. Others means of transportation — such as by bus or by rail — is projected to see a 14 percent increase.
“This is definitely a positive sign for the travel industry,” Brent Hubele, vice president, AAA Travel, The Auto Club Group, said in a news release. “Despite sluggish economic news, more people plan to travel this year than last, showing a slow, but steady recovery. Pent-up demand is likely the dominate factor contributing to the increase in the number of holiday travelers.”
Those flying will see airfare that is approximately 20 percent higher than last year. The average airfare for the top 40 domestic routes is $212, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index.
Meanwhile, the number of Floridians traveling this Thanksgiving is projected to rise by 3.6 percent while the number of Tennesseans traveling this holiday is expected to increase by 4.4 percent, AAA said.