The ever-rising cost of fuel has yet to impact turnout at local community events; however, there is another impact we could see if the price at the pump continues to climb.
According to Visit Emporia Director Matt Fowler, recent data shows Emporia has yet to see any “Notable change” in turnout for large-scale community activities despite gas prices now eclipsing $4 and diesel approaching $6.25 locally.
Fowler says a main factor for the steady stream of visitors is Emporia’s centralized location and lengthy list of “day-trip” events.
With that in mind, Fowler says they are continuing to keep a close eye on the matter and noted that while attendance at events seems unaffected, there are concerns for how the prices may impact other sectors in the community, namely when it comes to lodging.
Another area of concern, in the opinion of Emporia Main Street Director Casey Woods, is that of local businesses. He, much like Fowler, says when it comes to higher gas prices, it is more common to see travel impacts on long-distance trips as opposed to the shorter day trips such as a drive to Emporia from any one of the major surrounding metropolitan areas or vice versa.
That said, Woods noted one of the major impacts he forecasts is a direct hit to the bottom line of local businesses due to a combination of the increase in fuel and shipping costs and a decrease in visitors’ “discretionary funds” due to paying more at the pump.
Woods says to maintain money coming into the community, economic entities such as Main Street and Visit Emporia have to “concentrate on increasing the volume” of options available for visitors to enjoy in terms of activities and entertainment.
Gas prices are continuing to set record highs in recent weeks, with no word as to when we may see a decline, with the ongoing war with Iran continuing to be one of the main contributors to the situation. You can find more information on gas prices by visiting GasBuddy.com.
