The U.S. travel industry is forecasting a record-setting summer. According to the American Society of Travel Agent/Fodor Travel Publications, consumer confidence in the economy is not showing signs of abating, and vacation travel is clearly a top priority for Americans. Both domestic and international travel bookings through American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) members are higher than last year’s record numbers, according to the results of the ASTA/Fodor’s Annual Summer Hot Spots Survey released today. When asked to compare their overall bookings for the summer of 1998 with last year, 59.1% said that their bookings were up, and another 21.8% said that they were at the same levels as last year’s record-setting pace. International bookings showed an even higher level of interest with nearly two-thirds of the surveyed ASTA travel agents (65.6%) indicating that those bookings were ahead of last year; another 21.2% said that they had kept pace with the summer of 1997. Orlando and London held on to their respective holds for the top domestic and international hot spots. Travel agents have noted that the opening of Disney’s "Animal Kingdom" and added attractions at other Orlando-area parks have heightened interest even further in this perennial favorite. When the surveyed ASTA agents were asked to name the top international city destinations they have been booking for summer travel, their top ten answers included: United Kingdom Paris, France Rome, Italy Cancún, Mexico Frankfurt, Germany Amsterdam, Netherlands Ireland Madrid, Spain Dublin,Ireland Vancouver, Canada Athens, Greece Jamaica
