Terror alerts and record-high gasoline prices don’t seem to be doing much to dampen Memorial Day outing plans for Kansans.

Instead, a rebounding economy, beautiful spring weather and pent-up demand will play a bigger role in holiday travel, say travel and outdoors experts.

At Clinton Lake State Park, officials said they were expecting between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors this weekend, and camp sites were filling quickly Wednesday.

“They have filled up faster this year than any previous year,” said David Rhoades, park manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Clinton Lake.

More motorists will be hitting the road, too.

AAA Kansas said this week that an informal survey of travel agents in its seven district offices found more motorists making plans for the three-day weekend despite gasoline prices as much as 50 cents higher than they were a year ago. The average price of a gallon of unleaded regular was $2.02 Wednesday in Lawrence, AAA said. A year ago, the average was $1.51.

“We received a mixed response as to where people seem to be going. But one thing is for sure: Gas prices don’t seem to be a factor,” said Debi Nelson, AAA Kansas District Office Manager. “Members are driving everywhere.”

Nationally, AAA is predicting a record 30.9 million travelers by car this weekend, up 3.4 percent from last year.

And despite generally higher fares, air travel also is expected to increase 5.3 percent from last year, with 4.1 million people taking to the skies. Kansas airline bookings are up for destinations in California, where gas prices are substantially higher than the rest of the country, Nelson said.

Kevin Aylesworth cleans his RV's hubcaps at the KOA campground in North Lawrence. Aylesworth and his father were on the road Wednesday headed for San Diego, where they plan to spend the Memorial Day weekend.

More people are traveling this Memorial Day for a couple of reasons, said Jim Doblin, public affairs coordinator for AAA Kansas.

“We feel that people are a little more confident about the economy and they feel a little more secure about spending money in general,” Doblin said. “And they’re finally getting over the post 9-11 jitters.”

That despite U.S. Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft’s warning Wednesday that al-Qaida operatives are thought to be planning violence in the United States sometime this summer.

Many will be staying relatively close to home for the holiday weekend, enjoying regional destinations.

The campgrounds at Clinton State Park were 60 percent full by Wednesday, but Park Manager Jerry Schecher said he expected occupancy to be more than 90 percent by the weekend.

“We’ve had more people in the campground at an earlier stage than in the past two years,” Schecher said. “A lot of the reason is the weather; it’s been a beautiful spring.”

If the weather stays pleasant, Perry Lake could have as many as 80,000 visitors by Saturday afternoon, predicted Joe Lopez, contract administrator for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Perry Lake. A “noncamping weekend,” or nonholiday, draws between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors, he said.

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