Toursim operators aren't going to like this news. A BCAA survey shows that 42 per cent of the 5900 drivers surveyed said that increasing gas prices mean that the family won't be heading out on the highway this summer.
However, all is not lost for hotel, restaurant and attractions across BC, while the survey suggests that the trips are off, ancillary evidence thus far shows that British Columbians are still taking to the roads and even the BCAA is rethinking the numbers and feel that it may not be as bad as we might think.
The findings were presented on the CBC website.
High gas prices mean fewer summer road trips: B.C. survey
Last Updated: Monday, July 2, 2007 1:47 PM PT
CBC News
A new survey shows fewer British Columbians will take road trips this summer because of high gas prices.
Forty-two per cent of the 5,900 drivers surveyed by the B.C. Automobile Association said they're scrapping road trips.
But a spokeswoman for a tourism bureau in nearby Washington state says she hasn't noticed that trend, and adds that the higher Canadian dollar might be offsetting worries about gas prices.
Caroline Kinsman, marketing and public relations manager of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, said members of her group are having no trouble filling their hotels and motels, and are expecting to see an increase in Canadian visitors if the dollar keeps rising.
"For the most part people tend to stay fairly close to home, travelling up to about two hours or so from home," Kinsman said. "So the gas prices have not made a significant difference in people's travel plans since they stay relatively close."
She said most of their visitors come from Vancouver and Seattle, so the trip isn't very expensive by car.
Blaine Sepos, executive director of Oceanside Tourism Association on Vancouver Island, agrees that worries about a fall-off in travel might be overstated.
"We don't have any indication of that," Sepos said. "We have some resorts that have said they've been full almost every weekend."
Meanwhile, another BCAA survey on summer travel came up with the following findings:
Most popular Canadian destination outside B.C.: Nova Scotia
Best value Canadian destination outside B.C.: Calgary
Most popular U.S. destination: Los Angeles
Best value U.S. destination: Los Angeles
Most popular international destination: western Europe
Best value international destination: Mexico
Most underrated summer destination: Alaska/Alaska cruising
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