AAA expects increase in Labor Day travelers

AAA expects nearly a 10 percent increase in the number of Labor Day travelers this year compared to last. Part of the reason is that we're coming up against some pretty anemic numbers from a year ago. However, some improvement in key factors like gross domestic product, household net worth and consumer confidence should give travelers more reason to hit the roads, skyways and byways during summer's last hurrah.

Travel in the Mountain West region, including Idaho, is expected to be on par with the rest of the country, though gas prices in Idaho and other western states is much higher than elsewhere. Gas prices have dropped nearly everywhere with the recent $10 drop in oil prices. Here in Idaho, that is not the case, where the average price for regular grade gasoline is 29 cents higher than the average U.S. price.