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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Higher Gasoline Prices Not Expected To Slow Travel

From Wire Reports

Despite the jump in gas prices in the past year, the American Automobile Association doesn’t think summer travelers will be deterred from their vacation plans. The AAA figured that gas for a 200-mile Memorial Day getaway didn’t cost drivers even $1 more than last year.

The AAA and the Travel Industry Association of America predict that this summer, Americans will take a record 232 million “person-trips” (defined as one person traveling 100 or more miles from home). An association survey indicated that the average vacationer will stay away a maximum of 8.5 nights and will be willing to spend $1,076.

AAA research indicates a family of two adults and two kids can expect to spend $193 a day for meals and lodging on a driving trip - and will find the cheapest eats and sleeps in North and South Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska; the most expensive states are Hawaii, New York, Delaware and Alaska.

Florida, California and Hawaii top travelers’ “wish list.” The No. 1 hot spot for U.S. drivers is expected to be Atlanta, site of the Centennial Olympics.

Carnival offers guarantee

Carnival Cruise Lines has set up a system to provide a refund to people who buy a cruise and quickly discover it is not for them. The new “vacation guarantee,” according to Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for the line, is intended to put cruising on a par with resorts when it comes to leaving and getting some money back.

The refund plan applies to sailings aboard Carnival’s 10 vessels between Aug. 8 and Nov. 22 but not to departures from Alaska or Hawaii.

Customers who want to invoke the offer must tell the purser’s office of their dissatisfaction before the ship reaches its first port of call. The line will then fly the customer back from the first foreign port of call to the port of embarkation. A pro-rata refund of the cruise fare for the days remaining will be sent by check within 30 days, the line said.

Guides From Michelin

The Michelin company of France, noted as much for restaurant ratings as for its tires, has just issued 11 small travel guides. The new series, called “In Your Pocket,” offers information on Paris, Brittany, the South of France, the Greek Islands of the Aegean, southern Spain, Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Amsterdam, Prague and New York.

Each guide measures approximately 4 1/3 by 6 1/2 inches and contains 132 pages, including an index and at least two maps in color - on foldout covers.

The guides will be available soon in bookstores at a suggested price of $10.95 each.