June 2, 2010

What's your summer vacation situation?

• 1 Comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

So how was your long holiday weekend? More important, how are your summer leisure plans shaping up?

[Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com]

For months, we media types have been regaling readers, viewers, and listeners with hiring and shopping statistics in an effort to prove that the once-falling sky has been shored up at long last. And with summer travel season officially underway, we now have a new yardstick by which to measure the nation's tortoise-like economic recovery: whether people plan to travel this June through September, and how they plan to get there.

As was widely reported last week, AAA noted a 5 percent increase in Memorial Day travelers over last year -- a first in five years.

Also last week, the Associated Press suggested that when it comes to vacationing, Americans are headed for "another scaled-back summer." 

"More people will hit the road than did last year, but their budgets will be even tighter than in 2009, thanks to persistently high unemployment, stock markets in retreat and the fragile economy," the AP wrote.

To compensate, the AP reported, vacationers are "knocking down the cost... by staying closer to home, choosing less-expensive modes of transportation or by picking destinations based on the best fares and lodging they can find."

Though I am gratefully employed, I can relate. (Like many of you, my travel and rainy day funds aren't quite what they used to be pre-2008.) In fact, to save a few shekels, I just cancelled some vacation plans I'd made months ago for an out-of-town summer music festival. Instead, I'll be grilling up some burgers in the backyard and heading downtown to see Bob Dylan headline at Bumbershoot.

How about you? Are you still scaling back on summer travel this year or ever-so-gingerly wading back into the frequent flyer pool?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

• 1 Comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Read more
unemployment, work/life balance

1 Comments

Bald History on June 7, 2010 12:47 PM | Reply

Since I had no full-time job last summer, my bride and I honeymooned in Portland for two nights. Pretty exotic. We promised we would go someplace much further for our on-year anniversary. With the employment situation still in dumps, we're considering a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island to visit my parents. Thanks economy! You've really helped make our dreams come true.

Leave a comment

* required field

Your name: *

E-mail address: (Will not be displayed)

Your comment: *

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.