On the go — Like other Americans, Utahns don't plan to stay home in 2008

They might not be going as far. They might not be staying as long. They might not be going to the place of their dreams. But they are still going.

Despite higher gas prices, airport hassles, wild fluctuations of the dollar abroad, new passport regulations and other complaints, Americans are still traveling.

According to the Travel Industry Association, a trade organization for individuals and businesses working in the travel field, "the U.S. travel industry is expected to post moderate gains in nearly all sectors in 2008. Travel spending by domestic and international visitors in 2008 is forecast to increase more than 5 percent to $778.2 billion." That's up from the $740 billion that was spent by travelers in 2007.

A consumer survey from the Conference Board, a business/industry trend watcher organization, notes that 45.8 percent of Americans plan on taking a vacation within the next six months.

Utahns are right there with them. A Deseret Morning News/KSL poll taken in December found that more than three-fourths of the respondents say they will take a vacation this year, and more than half plan to be gone more than a week. Only 17 percent say they will take fewer vacation days this year than they did last year.

"People are traveling," said Becky Potts, president of Morris Murdock Travel, based in Salt Lake City, with 12 offices throughout Utah, Idaho and Montana. They may not like airport procedures, but they understand them, she says. They might be spending just $500. "But they are still going. They are not staying home."

Each travel group, each demographic has its own trends, she says, but the biggest trends that she's noticed for Utahns so far this year include:

• Cruising: "Cruising is huge and attracts more and more people every year," Potts said. Destinations especially popular with Utahns are the Mexican Riviera, Alaska and the western Caribbean. But all cruise lines, all destinations are seeing gains, she says.

"For years and years, the cruising demographic was retired people who had a lot of money, but cruise lines now cater to younger populations. You see families with kids, married couples on honeymoons, 30-somethings with no kids."

It's a great way to go, she adds. "You pack once, get on board and unpack once. You can do what you want. You can stay on board or get off in every port."

• Mexico: Packages that offer several days at a resort and include airfare are especially popular, she says. "Everyone wants to go where it is warm."

• Hawaii: That's part of the appeal of Hawaii, too. Plus it seems like an exotic location, but you don't need a passport and can speak the language, she adds.