TRAVELERS KEEPING SAFETY IN MIND.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer This may not be the year the family flies to Europe, but Southern Californians still have started planning summer vacations - just closer to home, travel experts said Friday. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks put air travel in a nose dive nose dive Noun 1. (of an aircraft) a sudden plunge with the nose pointing downwards 2. Informal a sudden drop: when we fail our self-confidence takes a nose dive Verb , but car trips, tours and a ocean cruises will give kids plenty to write about what they did on their summer vacation, they said. In the 13 counties covered by the Automobile Club of Southern California The Automobile Club of Southern California was founded December 13, 1900 in Los Angeles as one of the nation's first motor clubs dedicated to improving roads, proposing traffic laws and improvement of overall driving conditions. , hotel bookings are up 12.2 percent, car rentals 5.5 percent and tours up 9 percent compared with January-April of 2001, said Carol Thorp, an Auto Club spokeswoman. And cruises have skyrocketed up 25.5 percent - which Thorp attributed to several cruise lines
Name Headquarters A'rosa Europe NCL America America AIDA Cruises Europe American Cruise Lines America offering attractive travel packages. ``All of a sudden, a vacation that some people might think is beyond them, now they can afford to take the whole family,'' she said. Alaska is the most popular cruise destination, said Sandy Price, a travel consultant with World Corporate Travel/Altour Cruise and Travel in Woodland Hills. ``It's safe,'' Price said. ``A lot of ships have repositioned into that market, have left the European market, and there are a number of promotions out there as the competition has increased.'' Other popular destinations this summer include Hawaii, Mexico and Canada - all close and perceived as ``safe'' destinations, Price said. And Disneyland, always a popular local draw, is optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op about summer attendance, said John McClintock John McClintock (October 27, 1814 - March 4, 1870), American Methodist Episcopal theologian and educationalist, was born in Philadelphia. He graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1835, and was assistant professor of mathematics (1836-1837), professor of mathematics , spokesman for Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort is a recreational resort complex in Anaheim, California. . Typically, half of Disneyland's attendance comes from the surrounding area, McClintock said, and bookings at the resort hotels have been healthy. Air travel, meanwhile, is down 30 percent for the same survey period, the Auto Club said. Still, for those setting out for the skies, Australia is a popular pick, and for those who still want to travel to Europe, Italy is the most popular choice, travel experts said. China and New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. are other popular destinations for travelers, Thorp said. Thorp said while car travel is more difficult to quantify, if the rise in hotel bookings is any indicator, many will take to the roads this summer. At the Ventura City Convention and Visitors Bureau, officials are expecting to see more families spend their vacation there this summer, based on inquiries to local beachside beach·side adj. Situated on or along a beach. attractions, said executive director Kathy Janega-Dykes. ``We offer perhaps the most affordable rates on the coast and a lot of value for visitors,'' Janega-Dykes said. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion