Rising gas prices put damper on high hopes for summer travel to P.E.I.
Hovering gasoline costs have some tourism operators on P.E.I. apprehensive in regards to the potential affect of vacationers scaling again their summer time journey plans.
Following two robust years by the COVID-19 pandemic, many within the trade had excessive hopes for a really busy season, however some say the price of gasoline — at the moment sitting at just below $2.11 per litre — is placing a damper on these expectations.
Bethany Singer-MacDonald operates Seal Cove Campground in Murray Harbour, in southeastern P.E.I. She mentioned whereas they’re wanting ahead to an excellent yr, fuel costs have made an affect.
“I feel we’d in all probability be bursting on the seams if fuel costs have been just a little extra cheap.”
MacDonald says there have already been a number of cancellations, together with a caravan of 25 campers from the U.S. booked in for July.
“They cancelled the entire journey simply because of hovering fuel costs,” she mentioned.
“I do fear about additional cancellations. It is nonetheless early within the season. Of us that maybe have the latter a part of August and even early September — they might decide based mostly on gasoline costs at the moment.”
‘Folks need to journey’
Corryn Clemence, CEO of the Tourism Trade Affiliation of P.E.I., says vacationers could also be pressured to chop down on a few of their spending as fuel eats up extra of their trip price range.
“Our concern is … what that trickle-down impact is to, you recognize, how a lot they’re eating out, how a lot they’re procuring, what number of occasions, points of interest and actions they take part in,” she mentioned.
“I actually consider that is the place we’ll see the affect. There’s that pent-up demand. Folks need to journey. However they might do much less after they’re right here.”
She mentioned companies in western and japanese components of the Island are significantly involved, apprehensive vacationers would possibly decide to remain extra central to chop down on driving.
“So a few of these extra rural areas, I feel, have greater issues,” she mentioned.
“Clearly, if individuals are flying into Charlottetown, they probably may keep within the space and never have to actually think about the fuel costs an excessive amount of in the event that they’re staying in Charlottetown,” she mentioned.
“However actually the final word purpose of our trade is to get folks transferring across the Island. So this performs a giant function in what that appears like for the season.”
‘We’re all excited’
A current survey by the Canadian Vehicle Affiliation signifies vacationers aren’t cancelling their plans or altering them drastically, however as an alternative are altering their habits to handle gasoline prices.
Steve Olmstead, the director of social accountability and advocacy for CAA’s Atlantic area, says fuel topping $2 per litre was a “tipping level” for some folks.
“Not when it comes to saying, ‘We’re not going.’ it wasn’t that a lot of a decisive level. It was simply — folks grew to become extra involved about their journey plans,” he mentioned.
“So for some folks, they could say, ‘ what, we’re truly going to alter our plans just a little bit. We’re nonetheless going to go to the Island, however maybe we can’t do the total, you recognize, circumnavigate Nova Scotia alongside the best way, or maybe we can’t cease off and go to, you recognize, one other family-friendly cottage on the best way.'”
Olmstead recommends travellers plan accordingly this summer time.
“Summer time’s right here and we’re all excited. We’re able to have a trip. We’re able to see folks. We’re able to go to a few of our favourite locations. Go on, get pleasure from it. Go get pleasure from it. And a part of the method of planning all that’s simply check out what the gasoline prices are doing and simply calculate them into your price range,” he mentioned.
“That manner, you’ll get pleasure from your trip and you will not be stunned with a gasoline invoice later that you simply simply do not acknowledge.”
