Isles rank
3rd in U.S. as
winter getaway

A travel industry survey
moves the state up a notch

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii has moved up one notch on the popularity list of places Americans plan to visit this winter.

Now it is in third place, with 13 percent of those planning to take trips in December, January or February including Hawaii in their itinerary, according to a Travel Industry Association of America survey. Top of the list again was Florida, picked by 43 percent of the respondents, followed by California, with 31 percent.

Last year Nevada nudged Hawaii out of third place.

Hawaii gained one percentage point in popularity in the latest survey, from 12 percent of travelers last winter. But its popularity is well below the level of the early 1990s, when nearly one-fourth of the winter pleasure travelers included Hawaii in their plans.

Nevada, which had a 15 percent popularity level last winter, slipped to 11 percent this year and fifth place, dropping below Texas which was favored by 12 percent of travelers in the latest survey

Overall winter travel is slipping, according to the results of the Washington-based TIA's quarterly survey of 1,500 American adults. Including multiple trips by some individuals, TIA is predicting 146.5 million leisure trips by Americans this winter, a 2 percent dip from 146.5 million in the three winter months of 1999.

There are more stay-at-homes this year, with 32 percent of those surveyed saying they have no plans to travel, up from 28 percent last winter.