Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Summer Travel Season Expected to Build Gradually

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- According to forecasts by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Americans will take 275.4 million leisure person-trips during June, July and August 2003, an incre...

by Staff
June 3, 2003
1 min to read


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- According to forecasts by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Americans will take 275.4 million leisure person-trips during June, July and August 2003, an increase of 2.5% over last summer. A person-trip is one person on one trip traveling 50 miles or more from home, one way. Survey results are based on a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adult travelers interviewed by telephone.

"The rather dramatic shifts that Americans have made in their travel preferences in the past 20 months, such as more driving trips, closer-to-home travel and more rural destinations, are still apparent," remarked Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research and technology for the Travel Industry Association of America. "While we expect these trends to remain strong this summer, they may not be as exaggerated as we saw last year, reflecting Americans’ gradual return to their more traditional travel patterns."

Ad Loading...

Air travel will up about 1% this summer, primarily due to leisure travelers. The upturn may well signify the beginning of a recovery for the airline industry. Auto travel will, nevertheless, continue to be stronger than air, up more than 2%. RV travel is likely to remain very strong this summer.


More Rental Operations

NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of CEO Krešimir Dobrilović against a gray modernist crooked-tile mural display.

Carwiz Opens Car Rental Service In Panama

A Carwiz partner in Puerto Rico is taking on the Panama franchise with operations in the nation's largest airport.

Read More →
Ad Loading...