Holiday travel expected to perk up after lull in 2020

By ERIC SEIVERLING

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

It happens every year.

The Memorial Day holiday weekend at the end of May marks the unofficial start of summer.

But travel experts and law enforcement officials say this year’s holiday feels a bit different than previous Memorial Day weekends because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year’s pandemic lockdowns and restrictions made Memorial Day 2020 feel like it came and went with nary a splash.

But with restrictions easing and events returning to normal, people are ready to hit the roads and welcome summer.

According to AAA spokesman Jim Garrity, an estimated 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend. That number represents a 60% increase over last year.

The 23 million people who traveled during the 2020 Memorial Day weekend represents a record low since AAA began tracking travelers 21 years ago.

In 2019, 43 million people traveled during Memorial Day weekend, according to Garrity.

“Our numbers are usually in lockstep with the economy,” Garrity said. “In 2020, Memorial Day travel was at the lowest it’s ever been. Everything was so uncertain at the time.”

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