AAA Predicts More Oklahomans Will Travel For Memorial Day

Thursday, May 17th 2007, 1:05 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- AAA Oklahoma is predicting an increase of 1.7% over last year in the number of Oklahomans traveling during the Memorial Day weekend beginning May 25. Despite record high gas prices, about 525,000 Oklahomans, 15.1% of the population, are expected to travel 50 or more miles from home during the holiday weekend, said AAA spokesman Chuck Mai.

The travelers will be on the road in spite of gas prices that were a record high average of $3.41 per gallon in the state, but were not to travel as far from home as in past years.

"Families will travel closer to home," Mai said. "They will travel for fewer days and will save money by staying in less expensive hotels and eating in cheaper restaurants, but they will continue to take vacations and plan getaways."

AAA's Leisure Travel Index showed the cost of airline flights during the holiday weekend were averaging 5% less than in 2006 and car rental rates were expected to fall 16% from last year while hotel rates, however, were up about 13%.

Nationwide, AAA is predicting 38.3 million Americans will be taking Memorial Day weekend trips, which is also a 1.7% increase over last year.