(Image source: WTSP)

BY EVAN BUSH

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

This year -- studies say turkey isn’t the only thing you’ll be gobbling up this Thanksgiving. Studies show more people are going to travel for the holidays, and they’re likely to consume more gas and spend more money.

ABC has the story.

“Tough Turkey -- that’s actually an economic term this year because every other part of Thanksgiving is going to cost more this year. ... Driving might be the wrong way -- gas prices are up 50 cents a gallon from last year. ... Airfare is up over 50% this year. ... Hotel prices are up 25% this year.”

That said, it’s not all bad news -- the Star-Banner is reporting -- while gas prices are up from a year ago -- they’re actually falling.

“According to AAA’s ongoing survey of gas prices at more than 100,000 locations nationwide, prices at the pump fell by about a nickel a gallon over the past week.”

So why are prices up overall? A writer for The Wall Street Journal says the recession has forced families to pare down travel in previous years --- but they’re done with that.

“AAA said the coming holiday is the fourth Thanksgiving since the start of the most recent recession and some consumers who may have put off travel plans for the past few years are ready to travel again and have ‘a strong intention’ to do so. Still, researchers expect economic uncertainty to keep growth relatively modest.”

As demand rises, so do prices -- one would think, but that doesn’t appear to be pushing flight costs. CNN reports demand for flights is actually dropping.

“About 23.2 million travelers will fly over a 12-day period surrounding Turkey Day, a 2% drop from last year, according to a forecast by the Air Transport Association of America.”

Interestingly enough -- non-car and non-plane travel is rising most significantly at 14.7 percent -- likely due to the recession. Here’s Springfield, Illinois’ State-Journal Register...

“More travelers are trying alternatives to cars and planes this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, though the group still makes up only about 2 percent of the 42.5 million people expected to travel more than 50 miles from home, according to AAA Chicago.”