ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- One in four Americans (27%) said they will take more time on vacation trips this summer, and 86% said they will travel by car, according to new consumer survey results from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).
Sixty-one percent of vacationers cited affordability as the top reason to travel by car, which is up from 54% last summer when gas prices were, on average, just over $1 more per gallon.
While more vacationers will be traveling by car, they will be staying closer to home. Four in 10 (42%) say they will vacation within their state, up from 38% last year.
Regardless of the length of the trip, vacationers on the road this summer say they plan to stop along the way to use the bathroom (76%), get gas (69%) or get food or drinks (67%)—and convenience stores will be able to fill these needs.
More than half of all drivers (54%) say they will select a store based on the price of gas; however, quality food options (44%, up from 39% in 2014) and cleanliness/bathrooms (39%, up from 36% in 2014) are growing in importance.
“Consumers increasingly want to go beyond the gas pump,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “What we are seeing is Americans are seeking out stores that are more appealing inside with fresh food and an emphasis on cleanliness.”
Drivers ages 18 to 34 are most likely to visit convenience stores on vacation: 78% said they will purchase a snack, 74% will buy a drink, 73% will use the bathroom and 40% will buy a sandwich or meal.
ATMs at convenience stores also are a draw. More than one in four (26%) drivers ages 18 to 24 said they will use an ATM, and one in seven consumers overall (14%) said they will this summer.
Overall, more than nine in 10 consumers (91%) said low gas prices are good for the U.S. economy, the same percentage that said so in January 2015.
Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates LLC conducted the survey for NACS; it surveyed 1,105 gas consumers from May 5 to May 7.
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