Vacation or bust: Gas prices won't stop most vacation travelers this summer

Jeff Broddle | Cadillac News John Colasanti of Northville fuels his vehicle at the Blarney Castle gas station in Cadillac West. Asked if gas prices will influence his travel plans, Colasanti said, ÒNot really. You gotta do what you gotta do.Ó

With this past weekend kicking off the summer vacation season, many businesses may wonder if rising gas prices are going to keep the tourists away this summer.

Will that be the case? According to a survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA), approximately 13 percent of its members were likely to revise their plans because of rising gas prices this summer.

“Most of the members surveyed were going to travel as planned,” AAA spokesperson Nancy Cain said. “And those who said they probably would revise their plans said they wouldn't necessarily skip the vacation all together. They just might shorten it or go somewhere closer. We don't think that gas prices will have too much of an effect on canceling vacations.”

Currently, gas prices are up 34 percent from last year around this time. The overall costs for travel, including hotels and meals, are up about 5 percent, according to Cain.

“Gas is the only cost that has increased substantially,” Cain said. “It might cost $20 to $50 more on gas if you are traveling inside Michigan, but no one is going to cancel a whole trip for that amount.”

So far Julie Modders, manager of Vacation Travel Service in Cadillac, said she hasn't seen a decrease in vacationers. Although those traveling in the country or those taking a cruise have stayed the same, Modders said international travel has increased.

“Right now flying international is cheaper,” she said. “So a lot are traveling out of the country. Cancun (Mexico) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) are two of the cheapest destinations right now. A lot of charter flights are trying to fill the aircraft, so you can get a better deal.”

Another way to conserve money when taking a vacation, according to Modders is to shorten the trip.

“Shortening a vacation by a day can help save money,” she said. “In the past people would drive to Detroit to fly somewhere rather than Grand Rapids or Traverse City.

“Now it can be cheaper to fly out of somewhere closer, because you don't have to pay for as much gas for your car,” Modders said.

For Geralyn Kohler, the extra amount she'd spend in gas isn't going to stop her from taking some time off to vacation in Michigan.

“We go to different places around the state in the summer and we go on some camping trips,” she said. “I am not going to let the gas prices interfere with my having fun. We'll already will be saving money when we camp rather than stay in a hotel.”

The gas prices won't scare Bill and Marlene Freas from traveling to their vacation home, which is located near Boon. The Fenton couple will continue to trek the 175 miles throughout the summer months.

“We have a place here, and we aren't going to stop coming up here,” Marlene said. “We have always traveled and will continue to do so. We will just make sure we fill our tank where the gas is cheaper.”

Lisa Cedarburg, on the other hand, will be staying closer to home this summer. The Cadillac resident said it will be too costly for her family to take a trip anywhere outside the area.

“We are really feeling a pinch with gas prices,” the Cadillac resident said. “My fiance works in Lake City, so he puts on a lot of miles every day. It is just going to be too costly to go anywhere this summer.”

She plans to take her children to different places in the area and hold cookouts in the backyard.

“We can find ways to have fun this summer here,” she said.

To help those families who can't afford to take a vacation this summer, Sen. Gilda Jacobs, D-Huntinton Woods, is attempting to pass a bill giving Michigan taxpayers a $75 state tourism voucher to be used at a hotel, motel, inn or resort in the state. The bill was introduced earlier this month and Jacobs is optimistic that, if passed, it would greatly boost the tourism industry.

“This would give people who would travel anyway, the incentive to take a trip in their home state for less money,” she said. “I want the folks to know that Michigan has a lot to offer, whether it be the scenic north or downstate Detroit. If we can really push this, we can help both tourists and the tourist industry next year.”

Man on the street: Will your vacation plans change if gas prices continue to go up?

“I don't allow gas prices to interfere with having fun. We vacation to different places in Michigan and go on camping trips. We make sure to gas up when the prices drop. But high gas prices won't change anything for me.”

- Geralyn Kohler, Cadillac

“I don't take vacations anymore, but I do go to Ohio every few months to see the kids. I just get gas when I need to, there isn't much else you can do except complain.”

- Reba Beautre, Cadillac

“There isn't going to be any changes in my vacation plans, we still need to get away. We'll probably drive to Toronto and Chicago this year. We checked to see if it was cheaper to drive or fly, and it is still cheaper to drive. We have downsized our vehicles and we try to walk to work when we can.”

- Laurie Kinney, Cadillac

“We travel quite a bit and gas prices aren't going to stop that. We are from Fenton, which is about 175 miles from here. We come up to this area for a couple days quite often because we have a vacation home near Boon. We just watch gas prices.”

- Bill Freas, Fenton

tberkebile@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)