(CHARLOTTE) ---  The sudden and dramatic drop in gas prices, improved employment and increased consumer optimism is expected to lead to increased July 4th travel in North Carolina, according to AAA Carolinas.  Holiday weekend travel is will be up three percent when compared to last year.

"We're seeing hotel bookings going up," said Brendan Byrnes with Charlotte-based AAA Carolinas.  "TripTik route maps are going up, so there are a number of indicators that tell us that more people will be on the roads."  TripTik is AAA's on-line trip mapping tool.

The travel forecast comes on the heels of a 39 cents per gallon drop in the price of gas during the last six weeks. The current average price for a gallon of regular gas in North Carolina is $3.48, down from its peak of $3.87 on May 12.  Boone and The Triad have the lowest pump prices at $3.43 a gallon with some stations selling at below $3.20.

(Thanks to: WSJS)