Coloradans plan to hit the road at a higher rate than the national average this Memorial Day weekend, according to data released Tuesday by AAA Colorado.
Compared with last year, 25 percent more Coloradans are planning a trip of at least 50 miles or more, while national travel is expected to increase only 0.9 percent. Overall, 37.6 million Americans will travel over the long holiday weekend, which marks the unofficial start to the summer tourism season.
“What we’re extrapolating from this data is that Coloradans refuse to give up the vacation,” said Alexa Gromko, spokesperson for AAA Colorado. “People are cutting costs in other areas. They may shorten their vacation or travel closer to home, but they’re not giving up their vacation. The rest of the nation may be more conservative than that.”
AAA and industry experts blame high gas prices for the lack of growth in travel plans. Nationally, gas is averaging $2.92 per gallon, up 82 cents over last year. In Colorado, a gallon of regular unleaded averages $2.83, up 68 cents from the same time last year.
“Gas prices do bother me, but it’s not going to stop me from taking a least a day trip to the mountains to go hiking,” said Karla Decker, a mutual-fund accountant from Westminster.
She complained that it now costs more than $50 to fill her Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Cars will still be the preferred mode of transportation next weekend. About 31.4 million Americans are expected to take a road trip, compared with 4.3 million who plan to travel by air and 1.9 million who will go by train or bus.
The national survey of 1,500 adults was conducted for AAA by the Travel Industry Association of America.
The top five in-state destinations are Denver, Aspen, Colorado Springs, Alamosa and Steamboat Springs, according to bookings made through AAA Colorado. National hot spots include Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Orlando, Fla.; Phoenix; and Washington, D.C.
Overall, advance travel bookings for the summer are up more than 5 percent over last year, despite an average increase in price of 5.4 percent, AAA Colorado said earlier this month.
Staff writer Julie Dunn can be reached at 303-820-1592 or jdunn@denverpost.com.
