AAA, an international automobile association formed more than 100 years ago, expects approximately 37.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend, down 700,000 or 1.9 percent from a year ago due to ongoing uncertainty about the strength of the economy, especially concern over rising joblessness and sagging personal incomes.
The recent rise in gasoline prices may also be causing some travelers to limit or abbreviate their holiday plans, although its impact on overall vacation costs remains minimal, AAA said.
Last year, 37.8 million Americans traveled during the same period, a 10.5 percent drop from the 42.3 million travelers who vacationed in 2007.