File photo: WRN
The number of people traveling for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is expected to be up from last year.
Auto club AAA estimates just under 49 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the Thanksgiving weekend, which is a 1.9 percent increase from last year. In Wisconsin, just over one million people will be traveling – the highest number for the state since 2007.
AAA-Wisconsin spokesman Nick Jarmusz says an improving economy gets most of the credit for that increase. With people feeling more confident about their own personal financial situations, he says they are more willing to spend money on travel again.
While they are usually not a deciding factor on the decision to travel, Jarmusz notes continued low gas prices will benefit many of those heading out later this week. The statewide average prices for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel is currently at about $2 – down three cents from a week ago and almost 18 cents in the past month.
The Thanksgiving travel period begins on Wednesday and runs through Sunday.