This Labor Day nearly 35.5 million Americans are expected to travel, marking the busiest holiday weekend since 2008 and the seventh year of growth, according to AAA auto club.
“The summer travel season is almost over and many kids are back in school,” said Brent Stahlheber, the club’s senior vice president of brand marketing and travel. “But an extended weekend and positive economic fundamentals should be enough to convince millions of Americans to take one more trip during Labor Day weekend.”
AAA tracks the holiday weekend as Thursday through Monday.
The auto club said an increase in travel this year is the result of several factors including low gas prices, increased incomes, rising household net worth and the improved housing market.
The strong labor market means a boost in disposable income, which is expected to increase 3.5 percent compared to last year.
“However, a cautious consumer is using some of that money to save and pay debt,” reads AAA’s travel forecast. “As a result, the increase in travel volume is forecast to be moderate this Labor Day.”
AAA’s forecast reflects a surge in travel despite the late timing of the holiday weekend. Labor Day weekends, according to AAA, are typically busier for travel when they start in August.
Hotel rates are expected to increase, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index. Average room rates increased 3.4 percent in year-over-year metrics between Aug. 16-22, according to STR, Inc., which tracks supply and demand for the hotel industry domestically and internationally. In Orlando, hotel rooms averaged $111.02 a night in July, an increase of nearly $11 from last year, according to STR.
Among vacation-rental homes, Florida’s market is among the nation’s most affordable holiday housing options, according to Tripping.com, a vacation-rental search engine.
Florida accounts for the six most affordable vacation-rental destinations for the holiday, including Kissimmee, Orlando and Four Corners. Kissimmee’s the most affordable, according to Tripping, costing an average room rateof $36.84 for the holiday weekend. Rates determined by Tripping are an average per room in the home; vacation-rental homes in Kissimmee, for instance, range from five to 10 bedrooms each.
Last year, 35.1 million people traveled during the holiday.
Vehicular travel, as usual, is the preferred method of transportation for the holiday — accounting for 86 percent of travelers. The lowest holiday gas prices in a decade is attributing to the 1.1 percent nationwide increase in automobile travel. Gas prices Wednesday came in at a national average of $2.45.
In Florida, 1.6 million travelers will use cars, a 1.8 percent increase over last year’s Labor Day weekend, according to AAA. On Wednesday, Orlando’s gas price averaged $2.25, down from $3.35 a year ago.
All other modes of transportation, including train, bus and cruise, account for 6.8 percent of travelers. Less than 95,000 Floridians will use those types, according to AAA. Both state and national numbers are similar to last year’s forecast.
The average price of flights has slightly decreased this year, with about 7.4 percent of travelers expected to fly this holiday weekend. According to AAA, 130,812 Floridians will fly, up 1.4 percent from last year.
cdineen@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414
