According to a new report from the US Travel Goods Association (TGA), sales of travel goods—defined as luggage, backpacks, travel/sports bags, business cases/computer bags, handbags, personal leather goods and luggage locks—in the USA hit a record high in 2006, with consumers spending an estimated $20.7 billion.

The improved sales were said to be driven by both increased travel and by the fact that travel goods such as totes, backpacks, handbags and business cases are becoming a part of everyday life.

While TGA estimates that the unit volume of luggage sold in the United States slipped from the record sales set in 2005, the average price of each piece of luggage sold in 2006 increased 22.1% over the 2005 average price.