An American whirl: Tour operators cater to the surge in interest of travel in the U.S. with a number of expanded or new tour series. (Tours & Packages).(Statistical Data Included)

Travel Agent, March, 2002 by Schiller, Kristan

Robert Brennan, CTP, president and CEO of Brennan Tours, knows firsthand the appeal of domestic travel. "It's amazing when you look at what the U.S. has to offer," he says. "I have climbed Mount Rushmore, and I have walked on the heads of the Presidents. I never lost my love of it."

Brennan says that the U.S. is being looked at more closely than ever. To illustrate the point, he tells the story of one client who booked five U.S. tours with Brennan after Sept. 11. "This man has traveled all over the world, but he said that this year he wanted to see his own country," says Brennan.

Brennan's client isn't the only one with thoughts of vacationing in the U.S. this year, and the consensus seems to be that there is at least a short-term trend of domestic...