Worries About Jobs, Economy Outweigh Benefits of Falling Gas Prices

Gas prices are down in the US, but is that enough to get things going again?

Cheaper gas won’t be enough to get many more Americans on the road this summer. They’re still too worried about their jobs and the economy.  Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers. Gas prices are lower, but still high enough to keep some Americans off the road. The job market is improving, but still shaky. And household debt remains high.

Those who do travel won’t feel free to splurge. The bulk of road trippers, experts say, will take shorter trips and reduce food and entertainment spending to conserve cash.  “Travel is about security,” said John Larson, Vice President for IHS Global Insight, the firm that analyzed the AAA study. “If you feel less secure about your future, you may be less willing to take this trip.”

Worries about jobs, economy outweigh benefit of falling gas prices for summer road-trippers - The Washington Post