Experts expect solid Memorial Day tourism
Bob Doak | - Download MP3- |
Bob Person | - Download MP3- |
By Jason M. Reynolds
Staff Writer
Memorial Day weekend should be a hot vacation time with about 2 percent more people traveling than last year despite higher gas prices, according to AAA Auto Club South.
Local tourism experts share AAA's view, said Bob Doak, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
"We're anticipating a good Memorial Day weekend," Mr. Doak said. "We have heard (gas) prices may go down some soon. I think a lot of folks have gotten accustomed to high gas prices and it doesn't have such the sticker shock it did 12 months ago."
Spring break tourist attendance was strong, he said, which is a good barometer for how the tourism industry will fare during the summer. New attractions like the Tennessee Aquarium's Penguins' Rock helps, he said.
Kevin Bakewell, senior vice president of Auto Club South, said in a statement that high gas prices and increased vacation costs won't deter Americans from traveling on May 28.
The average price of regular unleaded gas in Chattanooga on Thursday was $2.90 per gallon, up 18 cents from a year ago, according to AAA. Nationwide, gas was an average of $3.11 per gallon yesterday, or 19 above a year ago.
More than 1 million Georgia residents and 685,000 Tennesseans are expected to travel, according to AAA.
Citing National Tourism Week, May 12-20, Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey and Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield on Thursday presented two tourist families with free passes to more than 40 area attractions, as well as gifts from places like Rock City.
One of those families was Bob and Kim Person of Long Island, N.Y., and their children, Erik and Andrew.
"I liked walking around downtown by the aquarium," Mr. Person said.
They said they were visiting Mr. Person's sister, Ann Person of Ooltewah. The Persons visited such attractions as the aquarium, Hunter Museum of American Art and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Mr. Person said.
E-mail Jason M. Reynolds at jreynolds@timesfreepress.com