Travel spending will be up this holiday season as more Americans plan trips over the river and through the woods, according to the third annual Access America Vacation Confidence Index released by Mondial Assistance. Nearly six in 10 Americans (57 percent) are confident they will take a holiday trip this year, up from 50 percent in 2010. The increase in spending spurred by more travelers will translate to a nearly $6 billion bump for the travel industry as holiday travel spending is expected to reach $65.2 billion, a 10 percent increase from last year.

Travelers intend to spend $980 on average, down slightly from $1,040 budgeted on average last year. But with significantly more adults expecting to take a trip, overall spend will increase to $65.2 billion.

While car travel is still the top mode of transportation (56 percent), more travelers intend to fly to their destinations this year than they have in the past. A third of travelers (34 percent) plan to fly this year, up from 26 percent last year, and 27 percent in 2009. Two-thirds of parents with children under 18 reported that a holiday vacation is important. Nearly half (49 percent) of Americans plan on booking their travel at least two months in advance (compared to 42 percent in 2010), and nearly a quarter intend to book their trip between one and two months out.

Men are more likely to wait until the last minute to book holiday travel, with a third (32 percent) saying that they plan to book within a month of their departure, compared to 21 percent of women.

This year the vacation deficit index, defined as those who believe it is important to take an annual holiday trip but are not confident they will take one, is down to one in five Americans (21 percent) from nearly one in three (32 percent) last year. For more information, visit www.ipsos.com.