Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) - 2004 Press and News Releases

www.tia.org
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TIA Forecasts Strongest Spring Travel Since 2001
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Washington, DC � April 2004 � According to the Travel Industry Association of America�s (TIA) Spring 2004 travel forecast, Americans will take 270.2 million person-trips during March, April and May 2004, an increase of 3.3 percent over last spring. The overall forecast calls for the strongest spring travel season since the spring of 2001. A person-trip is one person on one trip traveling 50 miles or more from home, one way.

�These figures represent a welcome turnaround,� remarked Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research and technology for the Travel Industry Association of America. �Consumers are more confident about spending their discretionary income on travel. They have a high interest in travel and they feel prices are affordable, all of which bodes well for the industry�s continued recovery.�
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After waning slightly during the last few spring seasons, TIA predicts spring 2004 leisure travel will show a positive growth of 3.1 percent over last spring. This would be the highest volume of spring person-trips in five years with Americans planning on taking more than 215 million leisure person-trips this spring.
| TIA Graphic: 323-2

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As evidence that business travel is finally starting to recover, TIA�s forecast calls for a 5 percent hike in business and convention travel volume this spring compared to spring 2003. American business travelers plan on taking nearly 45 million business person-trips this spring, representing the highest number of business trips since spring of 2001.
| TIA Graphic: 323-3

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NOTE: The results of TIA�s Spring 2004 travel forecast are based on TIA�s seasonal travel forecasting model developed in partnership with Global Insight, Inc.

Travel Industry Association of America
TIA (www.tia.org) is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $529 billion travel industry. TIA�s mission is to represent the whole of the U.S. travel industry to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States.
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Contact:
Cathy Keefe (Manager, Media Relations)
202-408-2183
ckeefe@tia.org / www.tia.org

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