Looking to travel on the cheap

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), July, 2008

Some 57% of Americans feel they have less money to spend this year on summer vacations than they did in 2007 and are looking for ways to save on their traveling costs, according to a survey from AOL Travel and Zogby International. To save money, 33% are planning to stay with friends or family for lodging while 37% will drive rather than fly.

"Due to the challenging economic outlook, rising fuel prices, and the declining U.S. dollar abroad, money is tight for some and our survey shows that one-third of Americans are, in fact, changing how they travel just to save on costs," says Jim Kovarik, general manager of AOL Travel, Dulles, Va. "Despite this, people will not forego their summer vacations."

Sixty-nine percent indicate fuel prices will not influence where they plan to vacation and 79% that terrorism is not a concern, either. Additionally, 53% are anticipating seven-day (or longer) vacations and 60% are traveling to destinations that are more than six hours from their homes.

Sixty-six percent say they plan to stay in the U.S. this summer, while 46% maintain they will utilize their vacations to visit family and friends. For Americans intending to take trips overseas, 10% are venturing to Europe, 19% internationally to destinations other than Europe, and 12% are taking a cruise. Moreover, 56% plan to return to a destination they have visited before and more than 67% do not intend to make the beach their primary summer vacation destination or include an amusement park in their plans.