Travel Scene: Nearly 100 million to travel during holiday season

Dec. 16--Close to 100 million Americans are expected to travel either by air or highway over the Christmas holiday season.

Based on a recent survey, the hefty number of travelers will be headed off to either visit family or go on a vacation. The survey, taken by General Global Assistance's Travel Insurance Division, some 85 percent of those visiting family will stay in the U.S., while 58 percent of those on vacation will be headed to international destination -- with the Caribbean the most popular vacation site.

The spending by those on vacation will far outstrip the spending by those visiting family. Over half of the vacationers say they will spend more than $1,000, with half reporting that they will be spending between $2,500 and $5,000. In contrast, three-fourths of those going on family vacations say they expect to spend less than $1,000.

The survey results reflected the views of some 1,000 adults, reported General Global Assistance.

Around the Travel Scene

--The Oct. 1 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip has affected the city's visitor count. For October, the number of visitors fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier, to 3.6 million. Hotel occupancy for the entire city declined 2.7 percentage points to 90 percent, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Room rates were little changed to about $139 a night.

--Kansas City voters have approved a proposal to develop a $1 billion airport terminal. The city plans to demolish the existing three terminals at Kansas City's airport and replace it with a single terminal. Opening in 2021, the facility would enable more consolidated operations and larger gate areas. Plans also all for more modern shops and amenities.

--Paul Revere's neighborhood in Boston is getting makeover, reports the Associated Press The $2.5 million project will transforms the modest cobblestone square and surrounding streetscape in front of Revere's house into a "livable, walkable, multimodal, green and sustainable" model. North Square is one of Boston's oldest occupied neighborhoods and is a popular tourist destination that sees 4 million visitors a year as part of the Freedom Trail.

Bob Retzlaff has written the Travel Scene column for the Post Bulletin since 1983. He has traveled to about 100 countries and cruised some 35 times.

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