High gas prices mean fewer summer road trips: B.C. survey
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 aspokeswoman for a tourismbureauin 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