William C. Gartner's responses:
What money-saving tips do you have for people planning to travel for the 4th of July?
Saving money on travel this 4th of July will be mostly an unexpected fortunate occurrence. Travel demand is very high and coupled with inflation and worker shortages within the hospitality sector few bargains are available. Once again, the concept of staycations is receiving some attention but a lot of travel will be to visit friends and relatives so staycations may not be an option. If you are traveling without an agenda then look for smaller, more rural cities where the celebrations are still of top quality and holiday activities are organized and plentiful. Have you ever visited a small city where one night will have tractor mud races and the next night fireworks that can be viewed from the bleachers on the ballfield plus daily activities for all ages? There are many cities like that out there but since they cater to residents you will not find them advertised or promoted on the internet.
Fourth of July falls on a Tuesday this year. How does holiday timing affect people’s spending and travel plans?
It may be an issue with those who have limited free time but it also provides advantages for an extended holiday. Longer trips are possible while still saving a vacation day. But given the mid-week holiday this year expect air fares to be high for the entire week and hotel bookings to be strong. This may dampen travel for those who do not have time constraints and are not traveling to visit with family and friends. Overall, spending on travel will remain strong through the holiday week. The long anticipated and written-about national recession has not arrived and there are now indications it may not be an issue. I would expect less anxiety about the economy affecting people's travel budgets but there will still be a lot of griping about higher than used fuel, lodging, and restaurant costs this year but the key economic indicator to focus on is employment levels which remain surprisingly strong. Inflation reduces purchasing power but recession means job losses. From a consumer perspective inflation is less of a threat to travel than the loss of a job.
Will the current economic downturn change the way Americans celebrate the 4th of July?
For some yes but for the population at large no. We are in the middle of a baffling economy. Inflation and rising interest rates have not deterred job growth which is the key indicator of travel propensity and ability. We are a country of people bound together by traditions. The 4th of July is one of the strongest traditions we celebrate. I do not expect Americans to change their traditional celebrations much given some of the economic headwinds in the country.
When evaluating the best cities for the 4th of July celebrations, what are the top five indicators?
Many cities offer activities of all types during the 4th holiday period. Of course, one of the single biggest draws is the fireworks displays. The bigger the display the larger the crowds. This congestion does not matter to those who actually prefer the camaraderie of thousands of strangers but for those who are not interested in crowds but still want to attend the fireworks shows look for smaller cities with a history of great fireworks displays. For example, Logan, Utah where I lived for 4 years had wonderful fireworks show which could easily be viewed from the university football stadium bleachers. It was a great alternative to what could be experienced in the larger metropolitan area of salt lake city. Many small communities have these events and if they are in rural areas, they may offer nearby recreation opportunities such as camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, etc. To each his own but for those not keen on large crowds look for these small city alternatives.
Other indicators to examine are accessibility, accommodation facilities if coming from a distance, daytime activities, nearby attractions (e.g., national parks, nature-based resorts, public land availability, etc.), and the welcoming nature of the community. Despite the gun violence directed at people in what are called "soft target areas" the chance this will happen to you is minimal at best, especially now as many cities expecting large crowds have taken additional safety measures. Do not let the threat of violence deter you from claiming your right to celebrate our country's most significant holiday.