MassDOT/CWN
HYANNIS – Travel volume for Memorial Day Weekend is expected to rebound this year, with levels nearing those in 2017, according to an official from AAA.
Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast Spokesperson, said the group is projecting that 950,000 Massachusetts residents will head 50 miles or more from home from May 26 through May 30.
Maguire said AAA anticipates 90% of those travelling from Massachusetts for Memorial Day weekend will go by car, which Maguire said can be advantageous with the ongoing pandemic.
“You can still travel safely within your bubble in your own vehicle and with COVID numbers going up, many people simply want to travel with folks they know to be vaccinated, to be boosted, and to have recently done COVID tests,” Maguire said.
AAA is projecting a 25% increase of air travel in Massachusetts compared to last year.
According to the group’s booking data, Boston is the #9 destination in the U.S. for travelers on the holiday weekend.
With pent up demand building over the last few years of the pandemic, Maguire said the Cape is expected to have a busy season even with high gas prices.
“One thing that will really benefit the Cape this summer is the fact that for most people in Massachusetts, even those in Western Massachusetts, the Cape is still within a tank of gas, if not less, for many of us,” she said.
Maguire suggested drivers fill their tanks before they arrive on the Cape since the region’s gas prices can be higher than other places in the state.
For traffic tips, Maguire advised people heading to the Cape to plan the timing of their trip to potentially avoid the peak travel times.
Listen to the full Sunday Journal interview with Mary Maguire.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About Brian Engles
