1.1 Million Massachusetts Residents Expected to Travel 4th of July Weekend
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
GoLocalWorcester News Team
AAA Northeast is projecting that 1.1 million Massachusetts residents will travel this Independence Day weekend, with a project of 43 million Americans traveling worldwide.
Those numbers represent the highest 4th of July travel volume on record and 5 million more travelers than Memorial Day weekend. AAA defines the holiday travel period as Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4.
“Spurred by the lowest gas prices since 2005, more people than ever are planning to travel this Independence Day weekend. Whether they’re traveling by car, plane, train, or cruise ship, it will be exciting to see so many Americans celebrating our nation’s freedom with their friends and family over the long holiday weekend,” said Mary Maguire, Director of Public and Legislative Affairs at AAA Northeast.
Drivers in the U.S. have saved about $20 billion on gasoline so far this year compared to the same period in 2015. The national average for a gallon of gasoline is $2.31, which is 47 cents less than a year ago.
“2016 could be a record-breaking year for summertime travel. This trend is welcome news for the travel industry and a sign that Americans are taking to our nation’s highways and skies like never before,” said Maguire.
AAA's projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight.