A little more than half (56%) of U.S. adults plan on taking a leisure trip in the next six months, lower than the 59% who answered similarly in February 2011, according to a new report from the U.S. Travel Association and MMGY Global.
The report, the Travelhorizons quarterly report, is based on a survey of 2,200 U.S. adults taken in February 2012.
"Americans are continuing to travel, but intentions remain somewhat restrained compared to pre-recessionary levels, which is not surprising given the uneven nature of the modest economic recovery to-date," David Huether, senior vice president of research for U.S. Travel, said in a statement. "We are carefully monitoring the ongoing surge in gas prices, which could erode travel perceptions about the affordability of travel as we edge closer to summer."
The survey also found that the share of U.S. adults who took a business trip in the 12 months ending in February went down to 22% in February 2012, from 24% in February 2011. The number is well below the 39% who had traveled in the past year for business in February 2008.
The report found that business travel intentions for the next six months remain essentially flat compared with a year earlier (15% vs. 16%), indicating that economic growth in general will likely be moderate in the near term.
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