Popular Places

The biggest gain in visitors last year was scored by . . . surprise, the Great Lakes states. U.S. regional numbers, in millions of trips* and the percentage change from 1996 to 1997:

Millions of trips in 1997

168.7 / +12%

133.2 / +8%

96.9 / -1%

133.6 / -1%

161.8 / +17%

85.3 / +8%

247.9 / +5%

113.6 / +9%

48.5 / +5%

* One trip equals one person traveling 100 miles or more from home, one way, for leisure or business.

Sources: National Travel Survey, Travel Industry Assn. of America