ANCHOR LEAD IN:
PLANNING A ROAD TRIP THIS SUMMER? YOU MIGHT HAVE THE HIGHWAYS TO YOURSELF! TOURISM EXPERTS EXPECT TRAVELERS TO STAY CLOSER TO HOME TO BEAT THE HIGH COST OF GAS. BUT, IF YOU'RE SMART, YOU CAN FIND WAYS TO KEEP THE COST OF CAR TRIPS DOWN...ESPECIALLY IF YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE GAS GIVE-AWAYS BEING OFFERED! THAT'S TODAY'S HEADS UP.

TRACK ONE Length: :05
COME SUMMER, AND JOHN FITZGERALD LOVES TO HEAD OUT OF TOWN WITH THE FAMILY FOR A MINI-VACATION...

SOT:
NO KEY (Too quick!)John Fitzgerald, Boater
"We'll spend a weekend, and have a weekend away."

NATS Length: :02
Boat engine revving

TRACK TWO Length: :09
BUT, AT 150 DOLLARS A POP TO FILL THE BOAT - AND ANOTHER 70 TO FILL THE CAR, FITZGERALD SAYS FUEL COSTS WILL FORCE HIM TO CUT BACK THIS YEAR...

SOT:
KEY @: :20 John Fitzgerald, Boater
"If I travel 20-30 miles with it, then I'll have to refuel it again that, for that weekend. It won't survive too long if it doesn't stay local."

TRACK THREE Length: :12
BUT THERE'S GOOD NEWS...COAST TO COAST, THE HOTTEST THING IN PROMOTIONS THIS SUMMER, IS GAS GIVEAWAYS. FROM HOTELS AND RESORTS, TO TOURISM DEPARTMENTS...LIKE THIS RED-HOT GAS VOUCHER FROM IOWA.

SOT:
KEY @: :41 Nancy Landess, Manager, Iowa Tourism Office
"Just in the first ten days on our website, we've had over 1500 people already sign up."

TRACK FOUR Length: :11
EVERYONE'S GETTING IN THE GAME. SUPERMARKET CHAINS...RIDESHARE PROGRAMS JUST LOOK ON TRAVEL BLOGS.
BUT, SAYS THE HEAD OF MARKETING AND BRANDING AT ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST AD AGENCIES, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

SOT:
KEY @: 1:00 Kristi VandenBosch, President, Tequila US
"It probably doesn't have a long lifespan. I don't see it lasting for more than maybe three or four months."

TRACK FIVE Length: :04
AND KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE A GOOD GAS DEAL MAY POP UP...

SOT:
KEY @: 1:08 Kristi VandenBosch, President, Tequila US
"...banking, retailers will use them, things that actually are designed to drive more frequency or points type things."

TRACK SIX Length: :03
THE FITZGERALD FAMILY CERTAINLY PLANS ON LOOKING.

SOT:
NO KEY John Fitzgerald, Boater
"Maybe there will be some incentives out there for us, so maybe we'll take advantage of them and do a little more traveling."

ANCHOR TAG:
TRAVEL EXPERTS SAY ONE WAY CONSUMERS INDICATE THAT THEY'LL BE CUTTING TRAVEL COSTS IS BY SPENDING LESS ON FOOD. INSIDERS THINK THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE WILL GO TO FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS AND OTHER LOW-COST EATERIES. SO, EXPECT LONG LINES IF YOU PLAN TO EAT OUT ON THE ROAD!

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Kristi VandenBosch
TEQUILA\ Los Angeles
5353 Grosvenor
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Assistant: Brenda Porter, at 310-305-5645
kristi.vandenbosch@tequila.com

Communications Contact: Jeremy Miller
Public Relations Director
TBWA Worldwide
TBWA\Chiat\Day
488 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10022
PH: 212.804.1162

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND/SOURCE INFORMATION:

SUMMER TRAVEL GAS PRICE FACT SHEET
* Recent gasoline price increases will have an impact beyond the estimated $30-$50 in additional costs for gas on the typical vacation. Those impacts include consumers feeling pinched by weekly gas costs while they are contemplating and booking a vacation and also by possible declines in consumer confidence caused by substantially higher gas prices.
* When asked specifically about ways they might economize, 71 percent said would use one or more of tactics suggested. The largest number said they would look to economize on food purchases (52%). This could benefit fast-food chains and family restaurants. Other areas where they would attempt to economize are - in order - accommodations, activities, and last, transportation. Almost one-third (31%) are looking for what they perceive to be more economical destinations - 22 percent said they would shorten their trip.
* Twenty-six percent of those planning to travel less or not at all this summer cite gas prices as the reason versus 18% last summer. There is also growing concern about personal finances - 24 percent cite this concern this summer vs. 17 percent last summer.
* Auto travel (88 percent of leisure travel) will be sluggish - and probably closer to home. Destinations near major population centers, as well as those offering creative incentives and new things to see and do could benefit.
* Gas prices are attributed as a major factor behind the recent decline in consumer sentiment reported by the University of Michigan and the growing numbers of Americans, according to a Gallup poll, who fear the economy is beginning to sour.
* GDP was up a very robust 4.8 percent in the first quarter, as consumer spending surged, but Global Insight expects this to slow to 3.2 percent in the second quarter and 2.6 percent in the third. April retail sales data also show a slowdown in spending and we expect consumer spending to continue to slow in the coming months.

Travel Information at:
http://www.tia.org/index.html