AAA expects tourism to increase this year for the holidays

Holiday travel is underway as people come in and out of the Coachella Valley for Christmas and New Year gatherings.

Even with the skyrocketing Omicron variation, AAA is looking forward to This holiday season is still busier than last year. Tourism forecasts predict that holiday tourism will grow by 37% this year. However, it has remained below 6% since pre-pandemic during the 2019 tourist season.

8.8 million Southern Californians are expected to make a trip 50 miles or more during this time frame.

If you’re going out the door to catch a flight, you should leave earlier than usual. AAA says you need to arrive at the airport at least two hours early and before for domestic travelers and three hours for international visitors.

Travel forecasts for this holiday season were compiled before the Omicron variant spiked. The newer version has been deprecated by some, however, AAA believes its data will remain largely stale.

When out of town, familiarize yourself with the COVID-19 restrictions for where you’re going.

You should also test for COVID-19 as close as possible to the gathering you plan to attend.