Ohioans expected to travel at record rate for Independence Day week

Friday, June 29, 2018

Over 2 million Ohio residents are expected to travel in the middle of the week thanks to the Fourth of July celebrations of Independence Day of the United States.

The number is about six times higher than 2017.

Micki Dudas who is the Managing Director of Leisure Travel, AAA (American Automobile Association) mentioned that a strong economy and Independence Day falling in the midst of a week has been encouraging more people to schedule trips the weekend before or after the holiday.

He added that these are the essential factors that contribute to the rise in travel to mark the nation’s birth this year.

Travel rates have been swiftly rising over the last few years, she said.

The mid-week holiday implies there is potential for fewer people to travel on the holiday itself but then the forecasts of AAA discovers that vacationers would travel before and also after the holiday.

The leading five destinations for residents in this region are national parks in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Florida and the West, coastal areas in the Northeast and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Of the more than 2 million Ohio travelers, nearly 1.8 million would be traveling by car, marking a rise of 6 percent as compared to 2017 despite the higher gas prices.

The average gas price in Ohio is $2.76 per gallon, up from about $2.10 last year. Dayton is higher than average at $2.80 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.

With extra money to spend, Dudas said travelers are looking for the “fun and warm.” Nationwide, about 47 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles, up 5 percent from last year.

The higher rate of travel for the holidays lines up with general travel trends. Vacationing has been on the rise during 2018, and 2019 is also looking like a heavy travel year as vacationers book trips further advance, Dudas said.

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