Survey: $10 Billion in Federal Tax Rebates Will Be Spent on Travel

Ten percent of Americans said they plan on using their federal tax rebate to travel, according to a study commissioned by travel insurance vendor Access America.

As part of the government’s economic stimulus plan, taxpayers can expect a 2008 federal rebate of a minimum of $300 for individuals ($600 for couples) up to a maximum of $600 for individuals ($1,200 for couples), plus $300 per child.

It was not immediately clear whether that $10 billion was money taxpayers were already planning to spend on travel or whether it was additional travel dollars the industry could expect to gain.

The survey found that among households making $50,000 or more in annual income, 11 percent plan to use the rebate on travel. Among households making $25,000 to $50,000 in annual income, 10 percent indicated they would travel with the extra money.

The survey was the result of a series of phone interviews conducted between March 3 and 6 by Ipsos Public Affairs. As part of its weekly U.S. Telephone Omnibus Study, Ipsos interviewed 695 adults ages 18 and older. The margin of error for the survey is 4 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.