Local Thanksgiving car travel could rise 8.8 pecent

An estimated 38.4 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, up 1.4 percent from last year when concerns about the financial crisis kept many folks home, AAA Southern New England said.

"Much of the increased travel is projected to come from the New England states, which are expected to show an overall increase of 8.8 percent over 2008," a press release from AAA Southern New England said.

AAA said its projections are based on research conducted by IHS Global Insight, a Lexington-based economic research and consulting firm.

In New England, people tend to live closer together, and shorter distances between family and friends often translate into more holiday travel by car. Throw in local unemployment rates that are generally lower than the national unemployment rate, and conditions are favorable for an increase in New England car travel this Thanksgiving holiday, said Christopher Pike, principal of travel and tourism at IHS Global Insight.

In its press release, AAA added: "Last year, Thanksgiving travel fell 25 percent from 2007 in the wake of the ongoing housing and financial crisis. This year’s expected increase in travel reflects improved consumer confidence from one year ago, better financial market performance, and a growing sense among many consumers that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us." (Globe Staff)