TIA Forecasts Summer Travel to Hit Flat Line in 2006

High fuel prices are expected to have a negative impact on summer travel and are accompanied by broader economic concerns for many Americans.

The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) forecasts travel volume growth of less than 1 percent this year amid relatively soft travel intentions.

According to TIA´s Summer 2006 Forecast, Americans will take 325.6 million leisure person-trips during June, July and August 2006. A person-trip is one person traveling 50-plus miles, one-way, away from home.

“I am concerned about a number of economic indicators with gasoline prices and the pocket-book impact they´re having leading the way,” said Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of Research for the Travel Industry Association of America.

“We´ve had gasoline prices jump up for the summer travel season before and weathered it but there are additional factors to be considered this year,” Dr. Cook concluded.