HO-HOHOME!
30 PERCENT FEWER AMERICANS EXPECTED TO TRAVEL FOR HOLIDAY
“Home for Christmas” will take on a new meaning for many this week.
According to surveys from travel organizations, several million will forgo annual trips during the holiday season as the coronavirus pandemic’s second wave continues to spread.
In its annual year-end holiday travel forecast, AAA expects travel to fall nearly 30% with only
84.5 million Americans predicted to be on the move, compared to
118.5 million last year.
Car travel is expected to fall to a 10-year low of 81.1 million, a
25% drop.
However, its share of overall travel will rise 96% as those expected to travel cancel holiday vacations for shorter trips. Air travel is expected to fall, with only 2.9 million taking to the air this year, compared to 4.4 million in 2019.
“While Thanksgiving is traditionally spent gathering with friends and family, the year-end holidays are when Americans often venture out for longer, more elaborate vacations,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “That will not be the case this year. Public health concerns, official guidance not to travel, and an overall decline in consumer sentiment have encouraged the vast majority of Americans to stay home for the holi
days.”
CDC guidelines
As it did for Thanksgiving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying home.
The CDC said those considering travel should answer the following questions:
• Are you, someone in your household, or someone you will be visiting at increased risk for getting very sick from COVID-19?
• Are cases high or increasing in your community or at your destination?
• Are hospitals in your community or at your destination overwhelmed with patients who have
COVID-19?
• Does your home or destination have requirements or restrictions for travelers?
• During the 14 days before your travel, have you or those you are visiting had close contact with people they don’t live with?
• Do your plans include traveling by bus, train, or airplane, which might make staying 6 feet apart difficult?
• Are you traveling with people who don’t live with you?
If the answer to any of those questions is “yes,” the CDC says you should stay home. If you do decide to proceed with travel plans, the CDC said:
• Check travel restrictions before you go.
• Get your flu shot before you travel.
• Always wear a mask in public settings, when using public transportation and when around people who you don’t live with.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from anyone who does not live with you.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Bring extra supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer.
• Know when to delay your travel.
Other surveys
In its own survey, GasBuddy found that only 34% will drive to holiday destinations with 60% saying that COVID-19 has impacted holiday travel plans. The website and app, which monitors gas prices across the country, split the country by region and found that the Northeast will have the fewest travelers at 27% while those in the Rocky Mountain (40%) and Southeast (39%) regions will have a higher percentage of travelers.
Those who will be driving around will find gas prices slightly less expensive than a year ago. On Tuesday morning, the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $2.58 per gallon in Berks County, according to GasBuddy. That compares to $2.68 a year ago.
The national average is $2.21, which is the second lowest price this decade. GasBuddy’s survey found that gas prices only affected plans for 14% of travelers.
“We’re expecting to see heightened driving activity across some of the most hard-hit areas of the coronavirus,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “It’s more important than ever for travelers to remain safe and vigilant on the roads, particularly at rest stops and gas stations, but also amidst state quarantine requirements since many that are hitting the road may be crossing into other states.”
Similarly, a survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that 69% of Americans plan to stay home. Of those who plan to travel 74% will stay with friends and relatives.
AAA recommends that those who are staying in a hotel to call ahead to check if it is open and to see what precautions are being taken to protect guests.
Recent past
Despite a predicted downturn in air travel for Thanksgiving, 3 million passengers still traveled over that holiday. AAA expects slightly less than that number to travel by air.
With that in mind, the Transportation Security Administration is recommending travelers adhere to CDC guidelines and carefully plan the trip.
That includes arriving early as the TSA is following COVID-19 guidelines, which will affect its staffing and operations.
“Arriving early will allow adequate time for checking bags, completing security screening and getting to the departure gate,” the TSA said in a blog post.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the TSA’s requirement that all gifts being transported, in both checked and carry-on bags, must be unwrapped.