Consumer confidence up, more Thanksgiving travelers

Nov. 24– Thanksgiving travel in Tennessee is projected to increase 11.7 percent this year from 2009, with more than 950,000 Tennessee residents taking a trip of 50 miles or more away from home between today and Sunday, Nov. 28.

Overall, travel in the U.S. is projected to increase 11.4 percent from last year, with more than 42.2 million travelers.

Thanksgiving travel is mostly comprised of auto travelers, with more than 927,000 Tennesseans traveling by automobile, an increase of 12 percent from last year.

AAA expects the average price of regular retail gasoline in Tennessee to be between $2.70 and $2.80 per gallon during the holiday weekend, respectively.

Air travel is expected to increase by 3.4 percent in the state; travel by other modes is projected to decrease by 0.2 percent.

"This is great news," said Brent Hubele, vice president of AAA Travel.

"Not only is travel up across the board, but it’s a sign consumers are more confident and willing to take time off, spend money to travel, and visit with friends and family this holiday weekend," he said.

Although travel is projected to increase, respondents only expect to spend $1 more this year than last year, with an average median spending of $495.

Total spending can be roughly grouped into two categories: transportation and pleasure.

Thirty-two percent of total spending is expected to go to transportation costs and 38 percent towards shopping and dining.

In addition, the average distance traveled is expected to increase by only one mile, for an average of 816 miles round-trip.