AAA offers quick quiz to help travelers evaluate if it is time to vacation.

NEWS from AAA South Dakota, April 15 – AAA, the nation’s largest organization for motorists and other travelers, is suggesting budget-minded consumers seize this summer’s travel bargains now because similar savings may not be available in the future. Those who are suffering from a general unease about the economy may also benefit from taking AAA’s brief quiz about their personal financial situation and recent travel experiences at www.AAA.com. Click on the Seize the Summer icon.

For many, the result will be a realization they can indeed seize the summer and plan family vacations and personal travel this year.

“There are some great travel bargains out there right now,” said Rob Angerhofer, vice president of Travel for AAA South Dakota. “For example, five-day Caribbean cruises that start at $299 per person, Three Diamond-rated hotel rooms in Las Vegas for as little as $28, a tremendous free dining offer from Disney World, and a vacation special from Trafalgar Tours where if one person books a European tour, the second traveler flies for just $99.”

It’s time to separate general economic anxiety from personal financial reality

Given the negative economic news of the past six months and the nation’s newfound frugality, some otherwise well-off consumers are feeling a little awkward or uneasy about leisure travel this year.

“This is why AAA wants to remind consumers there may never be a better time to travel than this summer. By carefully assessing our individual economic circumstances and personal travel situation, many of us may realize traveling this year should not be seen as a guilty pleasure, but as something we should get out and enjoy. By going now, we also will be doing our part to get America’s economy moving again.”

AAA’s recommends a quick financial check and a companion “travel needs assessment” before deciding whether to take an extended vacation this summer. Consumers should consider whether they are:

• one of the estimated 90 percent of homeowners who are consistently on-time with their mortgage payments, or are always on-time with their rent;

• among those who have access to some emergency cash to protect against an unexpected financial setback;

• a borrower with a responsible credit history;

• steadily working on other life-time financial goals, such as student tuitions and/or retirement savings;

• have a history of steady employment with predictable earnings or have reliable fixed incomes;

• have been able to afford and pay for leisure travel experiences with little difficulty in the past.

AAA believes millions of Americans can positively answer these questions, providing reasonable assurance that a vacation trip – even an overseas journey, an extended cruise or an adventurous package tour – is definitely within reach this year.

Travel decisions are not always about dollars and cents

AAA further suggests travelers may want to self-evaluate their emotional need to travel this year.

The association’s “travel needs assessment” asks about recent or upcoming life experiences and travel patterns, including:

• Has it been more than 18 months since my last significant vacation?

• When I traveled last, did I bring work or family pressures with me?

• Have my recent travel experiences been to predictable and familiar destinations?

• Have I experienced a loss or other major change in my life that challenged my emotions?

• Am I about to mark a major milestone such as a birthday, graduation, anniversary or career change?

• Have I missed significant occasions when I should have celebrated or rewarded myself?

• Is there a family member or friend who is owed a long-overdue visit?

“Would-be travelers who answer ‘yes’ to any or several of these questions should make travel a high priority budget item this year,” Angerhofer said. “We all need to refresh and renew our emotional well-being from time to time. A trip that is all about relaxation, expanding personal horizons, marking special or significant occasions or spending time with family and friends are all great ways to do that.”

Visit AAA.com or speak with your AAA Travel professional to plan and book your next vacations. AAA members receive exclusive Member Benefits when booking through AAA Travel. Surveys show that AAA.com offers members the best publicly-available rates on partner hotels 69 percent of the time.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA South Dakota can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.