Those companies that have benefited from people's unwillingness to travel will probably continue to do well for the foreseeable future. Companies that make and sell home-based leisure products, such as toys and video games, are making out well in the current climate.
Business is actually very strong in our category.
The sentiment was similar in the toy industry, where the No. 1 U.S. toy chain Toys R Us Inc. said on Tuesday that after a brief slump following the September 11 attacks, its business has since recovered to pre-attack levels. The company also said it was bullish about the upcoming holiday season. Within the hotel industry, properties in smaller markets that typically cater to customers who arrive by car have fared better than big city properties whose clients arrive by air. The preference for activities close to home is being mirrored by investor sentiment on Wall Street. Within the gaming industry, shares of casino operator Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which has extensive operations in the Midwest that cater to local visitors, are nearly back at their pre-September 11 levels.