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Source: Houston ChronicleDec.迷利倉 18--Travel in the U.S. will increase for the fifth consecutive year and should reach a record high this holiday season despite strained consumer optimism, according to a travel forecast released Tuesday.The AAA Year-End Travel Forecast projects 94.5 million, or about 30 percent of Americans, will travel at least 50 miles from home during the year-end holiday season from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. This would mark the highest travel volume recorded for the holiday period.The majority of travelers, 91 percent, will make their trips by automobile. Air travel is expected to decline slightly from last year. There will be 5.5 million flying this season, compared with 5.6 million in 2012.Airfares are projected to be slightly lower than last year, according to AAA. The average lowest round-trip rate is $199 for the top 40 U.S. air routes, compared with $204 last year."While economic growth has stagnated and consumer confidence has fallen, Americans will not be Scrooges when it comes to traveling this year," AAA chief operating officer Marshall Doney said in a statement. "AAA is projecting more Americans to travel than ever before to gather with friends and family, exchange presents and ring in the 迷你倉ew Year."AAA data shows that only once in the past decade has there been a change in volume greater than 5 percent, and that was a decline in 2007.The AAA reports that the overall economic picture remains stagnant, following the federal government shutdown in October. The unemployment rate has improved from a year ago, but the overall employment levels remain low. These factors have contributed to lower consumer optimism.Gasoline prices have climbed slightly from the multiyear low of $3.18 per gallon on Nov. 12, but AAA expects most drivers will pay less than a year ago to fill up during the holiday season.AAA reports that gasoline prices recently increased because of planned and unplanned maintenance at a number of refineries and seasonally stronger demand for gasoline. It also predicted that prices should decline by year-end because of rising supplies and higher refinery production."Of all the travel holidays, the year-end holiday season remains the least volatile as Americans will not let economic conditions dictate their travel plans to celebrate the holidays," Doney said.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Houston Chronicle Visit the Houston Chronicle at .chron.com Distributed by MCT Information Services自存倉