Americans Continue to Look to Auto Vacations Over Other Areas of Leisure Travel, AAA Says.

Business, News & Lifestyle Editors/Travel Writers

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2003

Interest in leisure trips by car continues to rebound as AAA online routing requests have increased 9 percent since the United States went to war with Iraq in mid-March, according to AAA.

The weekly AAA National Travel Barometer shows requests for online TripTik(R) routings the week of April 7 were at 112,700 compared to 103,300 the week of March 17 when the war began. Online requests totaled 111,200 the week of March 31.

Overall travel agency bookings declined slightly last week although car rental reservations rose for the third straight week.

The AAA barometer is based on a sample of 13 clubs representing more than half of the association's 46 million members. It is intended to help gauge the strength of the leisure travel market.

"Americans are feeling more comfortable in making their auto vacation plans but are still waiting to book other forms of travel until remaining uncertainties about war and the SARS outbreak are settled," said AAA Travel Vice President Sandra Hughes. "But it is clear there is continuing volatility in the leisure travel market."

Overall AAA Travel Agency bookings -- cruises, tour packages, car rentals and hotels -- last week (28,500) were at 98 percent of what they were the previous week (29,200). Total Bookings last week reached 86 percent of the same period a year ago (33,100) based on the sampling of the 13 clubs.

A summary of the AAA National Travel Barometer's measurements for the week of April 7:

-- Hotel reservations (12,000) were 98 percent of the previous

week (12,300).

-- Tour packages were 94 percent (7,500) of the previous week's

total (8,000).

-- Car rentals totaled 102 percent (4,300) as opposed to the

prior week (4,200).

-- Cruise bookings were at 99 percent (4,670) of bookings the

preceding week (4,730).

Visits to AAA's more than 1,000 travel offices were at 94 percent (27,400) of the same period last week (29,200).

"We believe there is a pent-up demand for travel that will gain momentum as we get closer to the start of the summer travel season, which is less than six weeks away," Hughes said. "Overseas travel, especially to Asia and parts of Europe, most likely will be the last areas of travel to rebound.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully-tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

(Editor's Note: AAA's National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel).