RICHMOND, VA The travel industry is potentially facing its most unpredictable summer since the Gulf War, according to travel expert John Boatright, former chairman of the Association of Travel Marketing Executives Worldwide (ATME) and managing partner of WORK, an advertising agency where he oversees the state of Virginia s marketing campaign.
Boatright said that the economic downturn, the outbreak of foot-and-mouth and mad cow diseases in Europe, consumer dissatisfaction with airlines, power outages on the West Coast and the overall decline of consumer confidence will lead to decreased vacation spending.
“This year you re going to see more vacationers taking day trips and weekend trips to venues that are only a drive away such as theme parks, state parks, historical attractions and the like,” said Boatright. “All bets are off for this summer s travel forecast. Virtually anything can happen,” he added. (3/26/01)