Coloradans undaunted in holiday travel

By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 11:45 a.m., May 15, 2008
Updated 11:45 a.m., May 15, 2008

Coloradans still plan to hit the roads and skies in large numbers over the Memorial Day weekend despite increases in gasoline prices, airline tickets and rental car rates.

Travel bookings made through AAA Colorado for the holiday are on par with last year, posting a minuscule decline, the organization said today.

That mirrors the expected 0.01 percent dip in the number of people in the West who will travel 50 or more miles during the holiday, AAA said.

Nationally, the organization expects travel to nudge downward by 0.09 percent.

“This shows that Coloradans really want to continue traveling this Memorial Day and even over the summer,” Eric Escudero, a spokesman for AAA Colorado. “People are cutting out other expenses rather than cut out vacations. Just because some costs might be higher doesn’t mean they won’t travel.”

The organization said most travel-related costs have increased only slightly, despite the conventional wisdom.

Airfares in Denver, it says, are up an average of 8 percent, which amounts to only $16 more on a round-trip ticket that cost $200 last summer.

Average gas prices per gallon are up 44 cents compared with last year. That can add significant costs to long road trips. But the increase is much more reasonable for jaunts to nearby mountain towns. If your car gets 25 miles to the gallon, for instance, it will set you back a modest $20 for a 1,000-mile trip.

“When you hear that gas prices have increased 44 cents a gallon, it’s a little deceiving,” Escudero said. “If you actually do the math, it’s not that much higher for shorter trips, although it depends on the fuel economy of your car.”

The biggest jump in costs is tied to rental car rates, which have increased 10 percent in Denver and a whopping 45 percent nationally, according to the AAA.

Rates for economy hotels are up 34 percent in Denver and 9 percent nationally.

But average rates for moderately priced hotels are down 3 percent in Denver and 7 percent nationally.