Wednesday 24th April 2024

For most Iowans, there’s no place like home for the holidays. A survey finds a majority of us will be staying put through year’s end. Meredith Terpstra, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says with the pandemic still the primary concern, some 34-million fewer people will be traveling during the 12-day period between December 23rd and January 3rd.

The travel forecast is down 29-percent and it marks the first drop in year-end holiday travel since 2008, with the lowest expected travel volume since 2002. With so many travel restrictions between states and most other countries, there aren’t many places for Iowans to visit. Terpstra says most people who -do- plan to travel are heading to see family, not going on a pleasure vacation, while the stay-cation appears to be the wisest and most popular option.

The CDC urges Americans -not- to travel for the holidays this year, warning that travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.