AAA projects 2.5% more of Hoosiers will be on the go this Memorial Day weekend.
The motor club forecasts 39.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home, including 850,713 Indiana residents. These numbers reflect one million more travelers than last year taking to the roads, skies, rails, and water, creating the highest Memorial Day travel volume since 2005.
AAA Hoosier Motor Club public affairs manager Greg Seiter says its part of a bigger boom for the travel industry.
“The expected spike in Memorial Day travel mirrors the positive growth seen throughout the travel industry this year,” he explains. “Higher confidence has led to more consumer spending, and many Americans are choosing to allocate their extra money on travel during this time.”
AAA estimates 770,107 Hoosiers will drive to their weekend destinations, a 2.4% increase from last year, despite drivers having to pay the highest Memorial Day gas prices since 2015.
Air travel is expected to increase 3.7% in Indiana this year, compared to Memorial Day 2016. An estimated 44,273 Hoosiers will fly.
2017 marks the third consecutive year of growth in Memorial Day travel.
