U.S. domestic travel predicted to plumet

from today's PR Newswire (10/22):

Economic Headwinds Will Slow 2008 U.S. Domestic Travel to 1.99 Billion Person-Trips

International Arrivals to Advance by 7.2%; Expected Declines in Business
and Leisure Travel Will Make 2009 a Challenging Year

"WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Insight, the world's
leading company for economic and financial analysis and forecasting,
recently acquired by IHS (NYSE: IHS), today released the third quarter 2008
update of U.S. Travel Insights which calls for a year-over-year decline in
the total number of domestic Person-Trips, and continued, albeit less
robust, growth in international arrivals.

Recent challenges in the U.S. and global economies, exacerbated by the
global credit crisis and a less vigorous tax rebate bounce, will cause
domestic travel volume to falter in the second half of 2008. While volume
will decrease, travel spending will continue to show some growth due to
rising transportation and hotel prices. Travel inflation has been
problematic since 2006, however, relief is already underway as
transportation and accommodation prices have begun to moderate." ...

for the complete release