Spring Break Travel? Not on a Wing and a Prayer
 Erin Crawford - Des Moines Register
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Here's a sunny economic indicator in a recession-wary world: Most flights are already booked during spring break.
Travel agents say flights are almost entirely booked for March 15-23, spring break for metro schools and Iowa's regents universities.
Clients are dropping thousands on cruises, Mexican and Caribbean vacations and all-in-one Mexican resorts.
"It's pretty much the same, spending-wise," said Beth Newhard, manager of Travel World, comparing this year's travel spending with last year's.
Families are buying vacations to Mexican locations, such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, at Continental Travel Associates.
"If (people) want to go somewhere, they'd better make a quick decision," said Sharon Brown, in Continental Travel's leisure sales.
Helen Eichler, a travel agent for TravelFlo serving Des Moines and Chicago, said Des Moines' tendency to clear out during spring break never ceases to amaze her.
"Des Moinesians don't travel on vacations over Christmas break, but over spring break, they clear out," she said.
"Most of spring break is totally sold out."
Newhard has noticed a slight dip in the number of 20- and 21-year-olds traveling. "They don't have $1,500 to spend," she said.
But European travel is as strong as ever among mature travelers, she said.
Eichler said clients are toting their whole families to anywhere warm.
"And big families," she said. "People with four kids."
"I really expected to have a bad year, as I did after 9/11 and the last (economic) downturn, but it's quite the contrary. ... I can't explain it. I don't know if people are tired of doom and gloom or maxing out their credit cards. ... (But) I'm usually a pretty good indicator of how people feel about the economy. People are spending $6,000, $10,000, $12,000."
She's also seen an increase in parents traveling to traditional spring-break party spots with their teens, rather than sending their high school seniors off alone.
Amtrak, which has experienced five consecutive years of increased travel because of more reliable service and rising gas prices, said Texas, Florida and New Orleans are popular destinations for warm-weather seekers. To get to New Orleans, Des Moines travelers would most likely take the train from Osceola to Chicago, then take an overnight train to New Orleans.
For those who don't mind a little chill, ski trips to Denver are an option.
"The trains are pretty well equipped to haul skis," said Marc Magliari, a spokesman for Amtrak. Coach seats were still available to Denver and Chicago on spring-break dates, though beds were sold out on March 14.
Erin Crawford can be reached at ecrawford(at)dmreg.com |
Vallarta Weddings
Travel & Outdoors | January 2008 
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