AAA�s travel agency sales were up 21 percent for the first quarter of 2004 and its travel agents expect continued strong sales for the summer travel season, according to AAA. Cruises led the way with a 43 percent increase for the first quarter of 2004 versus the same period in 2003. AAA today also released its travel agents� ranking of top international and domestic vacation destinations. �Our members are definitely bullish on travel,� said Mark Brown, AAA Travel executive vice president. �If March numbers are any indication, sales don�t show any signs of slowing. We�re still 10 percent behind pre-9/11 levels, but we�re moving up fast. The more lucrative travel segments are taking the lead and are ahead of pre-9/11 levels.� Brown gave his positive assessment of AAA travel agency operations as part of a travel industry expert panel at Universal Orlando�s The State of Tourism symposium in Orlando this morning. AAA�s cruise and international tour sales have shown the strongest growth. �First quarter cruise sales are up 43 percent over last year, and for the month of March are up 63 percent,� said Brown. �International tour sales also hit the 60 percent increase mark in March and, interestingly, so did our sales of travel insurance. So it seems that while our clients are traveling again, they�re taking precautions to safeguard their travel investment.� AAA also released results from its annual summer travel survey of its travel agency managers. Overall, 94 percent of AAA�s travel agencies expect summer travel bookings to increase this year by an average of 19.5 percent. International vacation sales will increase an average of 17.6 percent; cruise sales are expected to rise by 23.4 percent. �Our agents cite the improved economy and a greater confidence in travel security as top motivators for increased travel,� said Brown. �The result is Europe�s �Big Three��London, Rome, and Paris�once again top our list of international destinations.�

Agents� top summer destinations are: International 2004 2003 1. London London 2. Rome Caribbean 3. Paris Vancouver 4. Vancouver Cancun 5. Shannon, Ireland Jamaica

Domestic 2004 2003 1. Orlando Orlando 2. Las Vegas Las Vegas 3. Seattle Hawaii 4. Anaheim Seattle 5. New York New York

International �hot spots� for summer include Greece, Nassau, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. These locations are not generally top tourist destinations, but have experienced significant increases in interest among travel agency customers. The survey was conducted in late April and includes responses from travel agency managers from 51 AAA clubs covering 87 percent of AAA membership nationwide. Agency managers cited the following international destinations as offering the most attractive discounts or bargains for summer travel: Costa Rica, Mexico, London, Europe (in general), and the Caribbean (in general). Domestic destinations offering the most attractive discounts or bargains were: Las Vegas, Hawaii, Florida (in general), Arizona, and Orlando. A companion survey of AAA�s auto travel managers gauged the most popular destinations being booked this summer by auto, truck and RV travelers. Orlando leads the list of top destinations for the 15th consecutive year:

Driving List 2004 2003 1. Orlando Orlando 2. Anaheim Anaheim 3. Las Vegas National parks (in general) 4. Myrtle Beach, SC Myrtle Beach, SC 5. Washington, DC Yosemite

�Hot spots� for auto travel include: Monterey and La Jolla, Calif.; Eureka Springs, Ark.; Tunica, Miss.; and Western national parks (in general). Auto travel managers�AAA�s front line experts in helping travelers plan driving vacations�overall forecast a 2.5 percent increase in auto travel this summer. They cite the improved economy and an eagerness to travel as factors leading to increased travel. Higher fuel prices were cited as a factor tempering the increase. The auto travel survey was also conducted in late April and includes responses from auto travel agency managers from 42 AAA clubs covering 72 percent of AAA membership nationwide. As North America�s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its 47 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

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Media Contact: Justin McNaull +1 (202) 942 2079 jmcnaull@national.aaa.com