Hurricane Aftermath Will Dampen Some Thanksgiving Travel Plans

HOUSTON, November 25, 2005 - Slightly fewer numbers of Texans are expected to take Thanksgiving trips this holiday weekend, reflecting the continued regional effects of the hurricanes, as well as the devastation of some popular travel destinations, according to AAA Texas.

AAA Texas projects that 3.27 million people statewide will take trips of at least 50 miles from home this weekend, compared to nearly 3.29 million who took trips last year — a drop of less than one percent. Of that number, nearly 2.79 million — 85 percent — are expected to drive to their destinations, while more than 310,000 are expected to fly.

Nationally, AAA predicts that Thanksgiving travel will increase less than one percent over last year, with 37.3 million travelers expected compared to 37 million in 2004.

"Some Texas travelers have been impacted by hurricane damage both locally and at popular tourist spots in Mexico and the U.S.," said AAA Texas spokesperson Rose Rougeau. "However, we don't believe that the travel decline will continue into the Christmas–New Year's period. The state is continuing to recover economically from the disasters and gas prices are still decreasing."

For the first time in months, Texas travelers will find some places to fill up their tanks for less than $2 a gallon. Corpus Christi already has gas prices averaging under $2, and San Antonio and Texarkana may add to that trend by Thanksgiving weekend if price declines continue.

The most popular spots for Texas travelers this weekend, according to a survey of AAA Travel agents, are:

1. San Antonio, Texas
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City, New York
4. Branson, Missouri
5. Las Vegas, Nevada

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