IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Despite the recent spike in gasoline prices, Southern California freeways should fill up during the Memorial Day weekend.
Travel is expected to be up 4.6 percent this weekend compared to 2014, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.
If that prediction holds true it will be the largest year-over-year increase for the start-of-summer holiday weekend since 2010.
Overall, 4.4 percent of California residents, including 2.7 million Southern Californians, are expected to leave home for a three-day getaway this weekend.
That would be the largest number of Memorial Day travelers in the state since 2005, with a record 5.1 million residents statewide – including 3.2 million Southland residents – left town for the annual start-of-summer holiday weekend, the Automobile Club stated.
“This holiday weekend is a promising start to the summer travel season, and it shows that Southern Californians are placing a high value on travel and feel confident they can spend money on it,” said Filomena Andre, the Auto Club’s vice president for travel, in a statement.
Nationally, travel this weekend is expected to be up 4.7 percent year-over-year.
About 83 percent of all California travelers this weekend are expected to travel by car, which would be a 5.6 percent increase over last year.
The Auto Club defines a holiday trip as one at least 50 miles from home.
