WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Despite the drop in travel since Sept. 11, the Travel Industry Association of America's (TIA) latest Traveler Sentiment Index improved slightly in the fourth quarter of 2001. It now stands at 101.1, up from 97.1 in the third quarter. This was driven mainly by an extremely large gain in consumer perceptions of the affordability of travel, as well as improved perceptions about service quality.
This rise in the affordability index may be attributed to increased travel promotion and discounted prices, as many travel companies attempt to recover from the current economic slowdown. The TSI survey was conducted Oct. 12-22, 2001.
