WASHINGTON, D.C. - A handful of national indicators suggest that leisure travel in the United States may finally be on the rebound.
According to the AAA Travel Barometer, travel bookings have almost returned to year-ago levels, a most-welcome sign for the travel industry.
The National Travel Barometer showed overall travel agency bookings - cruises, tour packages, car rentals and hotels - in June were just slightly under those of June 2002.
AAA also reports that bookings have been running as much as 50 percent higher than they were at the start of the U.S.-Iraq war. The AAA barometer is based on a sample of 13 clubs representing more than half of the association's 46 million members. It is intended to help gauge the strength of the leisure travel market.
At the same time, CNN reports that other travel industry organizations and professionals have noted a steady uptick in leisure travel and are hopeful the trend signals the onset of recovery for an industry that has been bashed by the sluggish economy, fear of SARS and threats of terrorism.
According to CNN, travelers who remain defiant in the face of the economic, security and health anxieties are buoying the hopes of people in the travel industry.
The Travel Industry Association says its surveys show that travelers are determined, but they're not clueless. Travelers have noted the economic conditions and made adjustments, says the TIA. Among other things, travelers have cut their travel time from last year and are generally watching their pennies, the TIA notes.
Key measurements from AAA's National Travel Barometer include:
* Tour packages were 112 percent of their 2002 level.
* Hotel bookings totaled 91 percent of their 2002 level.
* Car rental reservations were at 97 percent of their 2002 level.
* Cruise bookings were at 108 percent of their 2002 levels.