Theme for Summer: Gotta Get Away From It All

More Americans are expected to travel this summer than last and more plan to spend larger sums on longer vacations, travel industry observers said Wednesday, in a further sign that consumers remain bullish about the economy despite warnings that a slowdown may be imminent.

Local tourism officials also expect perennial destination favorite Southern California to be a busier host this summer than in years past, given both the boom-time wanderlust and the four-day Democratic National Convention, which is set to draw 35,000 people to the region during the second week in August.

Operators of many local attractions and hotels are looking ahead to next year, when a new Disney theme park opens next to Disneyland and an expansion and remodeling of the Anaheim Convention Center is complete. The $2 billion in additions will bring millions of new visitors to Orange County, which has seen a slight tourism slump in recent years because of the heavy construction in Anaheim that has snarled traffic and a spate of ocean pollution and beach closures.

But this year has been shaping up nicely, industry observers say, particularly considering the slow start many attractions and hotels had when Americans opted to stay at home rather than travel to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000.

“Everything is set in motion. My hunch is it’s going to be a very good summer,” said Michael Collins, executive vice president of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Every indicator shows people believe there is enough money in their wallets to make for a grand summer, and they’re going to hit the road.”

That apparently includes Southern Californians as well. Susan Dushane, an agent with Northridge-based Travel by Greta, said bookings for summertime travel are up as much as 20% this year over last.

“I had earlier inquiries and earlier bookings this year for summer than usual,” Dushane said. “I think this year people really want to get away.”

Most of her clients also appear to be willing to spend more money this year, Dushane said, as they opt for pricier vacations to Europe over comparatively less expensive trips to last year’s top getaway, Hawaii.

Hawaii, in fact, didn’t even make the list of top summer travel destinations for locals this year, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s survey of its members. Las Vegas, New York and Washington, D.C., took top domestic honors, while Acapulco, London and Paris garnered most attention for travel abroad.

Overall, summer travel bookings among members are up 10%, the club said.

Among travelers nationwide, California ranked second only behind Florida as the foremost destination, according to a report released Wednesday by the Travel Industry Assn. of America.

In a nationwide survey of 1,300 travelers conducted in April, the organization also found that 86%--up about 4 percentage points over last year--plan to take at least one trip of 50 or more miles from their homes between June and August. Their longest trips, most respondents said, would span at least 10 nights, up from 8.5 nights last summer, and they expect to spend on average $965, compared with $956 last year.

In its own report released Wednesday, the Automobile Assn. of America found that 3% more Americans than last year, or 34.4 million in all, planned to kick off their summer travel itineraries with a trip of 100 miles or more over Memorial Day weekend.

Despite fears that higher gasoline prices could weaken the travel bug this summer, AAA found that 3% more travelers, or 28.4 million total, will opt for a time-honored road trip this Memorial Day even though prices at the pump on average are predicted to be 30 cents a gallon higher than last year.

Summer auto travel is projected to increase 5% among members this year over last, the Automobile Club of Southern California said.

Generally higher air fares also don’t seem to be putting a crimp in summer travel plans. Passenger volume at both Los Angeles International Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County is up this year over last and is expected to continue its ascent during the summer.

“I think we’ll have a pretty busy summer this year with traffic rising about 3% to 4%,” LAX spokesman Tom Winfrey said.

Although he wouldn’t give specific figures, United Airlines Inc. spokesman Matt Triaca said the busiest air carrier at LAX is also projecting higher passenger loads into and out of its newest hub. Dale Morris, a spokesman for American Airlines Inc., which operates the most flights in and out of Orange County, predicted a similar increase at John Wayne.

Daily visits to Disneyland, which peaked at 15 million in 1996, fell to 13.4 million last year, the trade publication Amusement Business reports. Given the heavy construction in Anaheim during the last three years, that’s better than had been projected when Walt Disney Co. and the city began their expansions, and the number of annual visits is expected to easily top 20 million beginning in 2001.

A few miles away at Knott’s Berry Farm, where attendance peaked at about 5 million in 1990, owner Cedar Fair will open a separate $25-million water park next month along with a major new water ride, Perilous Plunge, in the original park.

Cedar Fair hopes the new attractions will push Knott’s toward the company’s goal of 4 million annual visits.

To further attract patrons, Cedar Fair bought and rehabilitated the Buena Park Hotel, now operated as a Radisson resort hotel. The first new full-service restaurant to open in Buena Park in a decade will open this week at the hotel--a franchise of the upscale Italian chain Cucina Cucina.

Local hotels too should expect to be busy and happy, said Collins of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Given current trends in occupancy and room prices, he predicted that major hotels in Los Angeles County should be able to keep rooms filled to 80% capacity this summer while charging 5% more a night than last year.

Occupancy is already up to 80% at the Universal City Hilton and Towers, and sales director Dawn Lindner hopes it will stay that way through the rest of the spring and summer.

The hotel will get a boost in August when Democratic convention-related guests occupy as many as 300 of its 492 rooms and suites.

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Tourists, Start Your Engines

While rising fuel costs may have some effect, the travel industry is forecasting a robust domestic travel season this summer based on surveys by the Travel Industry Assn. of America and the Automobile Assn. of America.

*

Where People Want to Go in the U.S.:

Florida: 34%

California: 26

New York: 13

Texas: 10

Hawaii: 9

Colorado: 8

Arizona: 7

Nevada: 7

Washington D.C.: 7

South Carolina: 5

Note: Total exceeds 100% because of multiple responses.

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How Rising Fuel Costs Affect Plans:

Taking fewer trips: 10%

Trip more expensive: 9

Not going as far: 8

Not staying as long: 5

Spending less on trip: 3

Driving not flying: 3

Flying not driving: 1

Researched by NONA YATES/Los Angeles Times

* Americans will take 4% more trips this summer than last.

* Among those planning driving trips, 43% said they would seriously consider canceling their plans if gasoline reached $2 a gallon.

New York

Washington, D.C.

Hollywood

Arizona’s Grand Canyon

Epcot Center in Florida