WASHINGTON | Summer vacation bookings to Eastern Europe are skyrocketing, says AAA, North America’s largest full-service leisure travel agency. AAA travel professionals attribute the increased interest in Eastern European countries to favorable exchange rates, less crowding, and the desire for new experiences.

ORLANDO, Fla. | Millions of Americans travel overseas each year and use their credit and debit cards in much the same way they use them in the United States. But recent changes in the United Kingdom and other countries may require Americans traveling there to be better informed when they pay with plastic. "The UK has gone completely 'Chip and PIN' and that's causing a bit of confusion for some tr...

WASHINGTON -- This year, the 50th Anniversary of the Interstate Highway System will kick off a record Fourth of July holiday weekend. AAA estimates that 40.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.2 percent increase from the 40.2 million who traveled last year. Of those travelers, about 85 percent will travel by car on our national interstate and local road way...

"The hotel industry has had a rough time over the last few years," said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Information Development, and lead authority on the popular AAA Diamond Ratings for restaurants and hotels. "Now that the economy is beginning to rebound, travelers shouldn't be surprised to find hoteliers tempting them back with extras."

ORLANDO, Fla.- Christmas-New Year's holiday travel should increase by more than 2 percent from last year as Americans continue to fly in increasing numbers, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 59.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, up 2.4 percent from the 58.2 million who traveled last year.

Six restaurants and nine hotels have been added to the list of AAA Five Diamond winners for 2004, bringing the total number of Five Diamond properties to 137. There are 82 lodgings and 55 restaurants on this year's list.

AUSTIN, Texas - To successfully combat the many challenges faced by today's travel industry, AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet offered six tenets of change the industry can and must consider to help ensure a bright future.

ORLANDO, Fla.--Another strong month of cruise and tour bookings -- up 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively, from 2002 levels -- pushed AAA's overall travel bookings to a 1 percent increase this September compared to a year ago.

ORLANDO, Fla.--June 5, 2003--In an encouraging sign for the travel industry, travel bookings have returned to their 2002 levels, according to the most recent AAA Travel Barometer. The National Travel Barometer for the week of May 26 to June 1 showed overall travel agency bookings - cruises, tour packages, car rentals and hotels - at 28,100 bookings, about even with the 28,200 bookings for the sam...

ORLANDO, Fla.--Relaxed airline cancellation policies, travel insurance and working with a travel agent are among the strategies travelers can use to overcome the uncertainty that has kept many of them from booking trips, according to AAA.