HORSEHEADS-- It's the start of the summer traveling season, and AAA is predicting a half million more travelers will hit the road this year compared to last.
Despite the recession, or perhaps because of it, people need to get away.
Between high unemployment and expensive gas you'd think more people would stay local, but travel agents are forecasting the opposite.
Regular gas in Horseheads is $2.51, higher than the national average and the most expensive in recent months. But it seems like a bargain, compared to the $3.80 it was last year.
“Gas prices are about a dollar cheaper than they were last year, so that actually helps out a lot,” said Rick Kidwell, from Ithaca.
“Plans are just to pack up the gear and go fishing for the weekend up in the Adirondacks,” said Ryan Anderson, of Candor.
Anderson is one of millions of travelers AAA says aren't discouraged by the recent high gas prices.
“There’s nothing I can do about it except keep working and doing what I can do. Bring in a paycheck if I can. If I can't afford it, I won't do it,” Anderson said.
But it's been a tough year and agents say lots of people cancelled winter trips when the economy tanked; now they need to get out.
“We have people who are planning longer trips for the summer. They’ve already come in to talk about it. Some people are going cross-country still. So there are people traveling,” said Pam Patterson from the AAA in Elmira Heights.
AAA agents say if travelers can get passed gas prices, they'll find going away this weekend and even this summer will be a lot cheaper than in the past.
“If they're not going by car, airfares have been reduced, and the hotels, they've reduced their prices, as well as some of your attractions, they've kind of all gone down a little bit,” Patterson added.
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