Nearly a year after the events
of Sept. 11, a new phone study of Americans commissioned by travel expert
Travelocity
indicates that the public`s appetite for out-of-town travel
remains strong. While 25 percent of those surveyed said they avoided travel
immediately after Sept. 11, almost 90 percent have taken a trip since then.
    (Caption: Sam Gilliland, 
President & CEO - Travelocity)

Also, ongoing concerns related to personal safety and security, though
prevalent immediately following Sept. 11, significantly diminished.  While
14.4 percent of those surveyed cited “concerns for their personal safety” as
the reason for avoiding travel immediately after Sept. 11, only a slight
2.6 percent still feel that way.  At the same time, more than three-quarters
(78.6 percent) of respondents believe the level of safety when traveling is
about the same or better than it was immediately following Sept. 11.
The poll, a random phone survey of 1,000 respondents - including those
who have and haven`t traveled since Sept. 11 - independently conducted for
Travelocity by Telenation, a service of Market Facts, was completed in early
August.  In addition to the details noted below, complete survey results
broken out demographically - by region, gender, and households with children
- can be found at www.travelocity.com/september11poll
.
 
“While the airline business is down from a year ago, what we`re now seeing
in the industry reflects more upon the current state of the economy and cut
backs in business travel spending rather than a fear of flying,” said Sam
Gilliland
, president and chief executive officer of Travelocity.  “As people
remember and reflect upon the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11, these study
findings are a testament to the resiliency of the American spirit and despite
uncertainties around the world, we are not putting our lives on hold when it
comes to traveling.”

 
Additional survey results include:

-  Most travelers were unaffected by Sept. 11 events or have returned
      to earlier level of comfort when flying

-  44 percent were unaffected

-  27.9 percent were nervous at first, but now feel the same as
          before

-  15.7 percent are still very nervous about flying though they
          continue to do so

-  4.1 percent are still too afraid to fly

-  3.8 percent are more determined than ever to fly

 
Regional differences noted:

-  Avoiding travel immediately following Sept. 11

-  Respondents from the West were most likely to have avoided
          travel right after Sept. 11 because of concerns for personal
          safety

      -  Those from the Northeast and Midwest avoided travel during the
          same time period due to the unpredictability of flight
          schedules

    -  Overall, government-issued security alerts have not played a major
      role in affecting travel-related decisions
      -  63.1 percent were not affected in the Northeast

      -  61.7 percent were not affected in the West

      -  58.3 percent were not affected in the Midwest
      -  56.9 percent were not affected in the South

    -  Travel and convenience post Sept. 11

      -  More travelers in the West, 59.1 percent, found travel less
          convenient

      -  More travelers in the Midwest, 45.3 percent, found travel
          equally convenient

      -  More travelers in the South, 12.2 percent, found travel more
          convenient
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