The steady economic decline is very noticeable in the travel sector this Holiday season. According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, a AAA online survey reveals that "nearly 63.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the holiday season, down 2 percent from last year's 65.3 million. If AAA's projections are accurate, it will be the first decline in Christmas season travel since 2002."
For many Americans, funds are tight, and they simply cannot afford air travel this year. The sad reality is this may be a continuing trend for several years to come. Perhaps, with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency, the economy will improve and some of these woes will eventually lessen.
This is fairly dramatic considering that most people, despite their financial situation, still attempt to travel to visit relatives that are not within driving-distance of their homes during the Holidays. Family is a core value that Americans are not willing to compromise.
Travel is not the only aspect of the holidays which is undergoing reductions. Office parties are also being affected on a large scale. According to the Nashville Business Journal, a survey done by the Korn/Ferry Institute revealed that "among companies that typically host holiday celebrations, 32 percent of executives said theirs were being scaled back, and 30 percent said they had been canceled outright…." Not surprisingly, this fiscal year budget extravagances needed to be cut severely.
There is some hope fortunately, for those unwilling to forgo holiday travel: declining fuel prices. As a result, car-travel may be a more affordable alternative. After all, at excesses of four dollars per gallon, car travel was not necessarily a viable option earlier this year and last year as a travel method.
This time of year is generally joyous and fun-filled, so it is a shame that a dark cloud has been cast over Christmas. It is, however; reassuring that some ingenuity and cost-cutting tactics can make the holidays a little less dreary and slightly jollier.
The author of this story is Bryan Wisotsky who blogs at StorybookVacations.
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