According to the National Retail Federation (Washington, D.C.), more people will celebrate the July 4 holiday this year than last year. With the holiday falling on a Saturday, 62.6 percent – or 144 million people – of those people surveyed by BIGresearch said they’ll host or attend a cookout, barbecue or picnic, compared to 61.2 percent in 2008.
The revelry will also help drive sales with 14 percent of consumers planning to purchase additional patriotic merchandise this month, according to the NRF.
Ongoing uncertainty about the economy and rising fuel prices may be factors in consumers’ decisions to celebrate closer to home this year. According to AAA (Heathrow, Fla.), the number of Americans traveling on vacation over the holiday weekend is expected to drop 1.9 percent from last year.
Approximately 37.1 million travelers plan to take a trip of 50 or more miles away from home, compared to 37.8 million last year. AAA says the July 4th holiday is typically the busiest time of year for auto travel since most school-aged children are out of school and parents are more likely to take family vacations at this time.
AAA attributes the decline in leisure travel to continued uncertainty about the economy, rising joblessness, sagging personal incomes and rising gasoline prices. “Many Americans remain cautious about the outlook for their personal finances and these attitudes are reflected in the slight decline in travel we are forecasting for the upcoming holiday weekend,” says Robert Darbelnet, AAA president and ceo. “Those who do vacation this summer will find a plethora of attractive discounts and special offers resulting in some outstanding vacation values. If you can afford to go, this summer is a smart time to travel.”