Have wheels, will travel?

The Rising Cost of Gas:  A Daily Press Special Report

Vacationers are still hitting the road despite higher gas prices.

That’s the message from Jenni Sopsic, executive director of the Montrose Visitors and Convention Bureau. “People are still traveling,” she said. “Their vacations are not something they want to give up.”

However, some travelers are choosing getaways closer to home.

“We’re seeing more license plates from surrounding states,” Sopsic said. “People are staying closer to home.”

Some Coloradans are opting to take “stay-cations” and explore their own state. “The southwest region (of Colorado) has always been a big destination for the Front Range,” observed Sopsic. She expects this to continue, and encourages area residents to revisit the attractions in their own backyard.

One of these is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. AOL Travel.com  recently named the Black Canyon one of the top 10 undiscovered national parks in the U.S., said Sopsic. Just 15 miles east and north of Montrose, it draws tourists from around the country and overseas.

Paul Zaenger, a longtime staffer at the Black Canyon, said tourism has been running “a little bit above average for the park’s South Rim Visitor Center” since Memorial Day. “It suggests we’re still above last year in spite of the economy and cost of gas.

“Because of the weak dollar, we’re seeing a lot of international visitors,” Zaenger continued. “There are full buses (of tourists) from France, England and Germany.” Some individual travelers and families from the Pacific Rim and Europe, including the former Soviet bloc countries, also have visited the park, he said.

The BLM has noted an increase in off-road vehicle use, according to Karen Tucker, manager of the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. However, some visitors are driving from locations just two to three hours away. “We’re seeing more folks coming from closer-in areas: Aspen, Durango, Grand Junction,” she said. She expects visitors from states like Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas and others further away to keep coming, but perhaps less frequently.

“People don’t want  to give up their vacations totally,” she said. “They might forgo a night or two in a hotel, then camp and buy food at Safeway or City Market (to keep expenses down).”

People are unwilling to totally eliminate the fun in their lives, Tucker said. “You can go past motels in Montrose and Delta and see trailers with ATVs, jeeps and mountain bikes. They plan on playing.”

Visitors come here because of the diversity of terrains, experiences and things  to do, from dirt biking  to boating, hiking and gold medal fishing, Tucker said. She expects that to continue. Meanwhile, the BLM intends to conduct visitor surveys and plan for the future.

Montrose Mountain View Travel said more people are flying because it’s less expensive than driving. “By the time you figure cost of food, gas and hotels, it’s (often) cheaper to fly than drive,” said travel agent Liz Lemmon.

“People are still traveling,” she said. “They are still leaving here and coming in for vacations. It (fuel cost) hasn’t really slowed down the general public.” However, some travelers are postponing their trips, hoping that air prices will go down, she noted.

Tourist requests for information at the Montrose Chamber of Commerce dropped to 703 this April compared with 1,337 last April, said Marge Keehfuss, executive director. There also is less traffic at the information center, which she attributes to higher fuel costs, along with an increase in food prices, lodging, and the nation’s general sluggish economy.

Big motorcycle groups and bicycle tours such as Ride the Rockies and Bicycle Tour of Colorado are still coming to Montrose, Keehfuss said. However, out-of-state visitors have dropped by about half. “People from in state are still going to drive,” she predicted. “Our motels are still doing quite well, so we’re happy about that,” she said. The Visitors Center has undertaken a major branding campaign to market Montrose, though that won’t kick off until later this year.

The most noticeable impact of higher fuel prices at Montrose Regional Airport is in general aviation, according to Jeff Precup, operations manager. “A lot of (private) pilots are watching their fuel budgets and restricting recreational use,” he noted. “There seems to be a consistent demand for general travel,” he said, “though a lot of airlines are advising travelers to book as far ahead as they can. Air carrier traffic seems fairly healthy, but ground transportation may be restricted this season.”

Larry Braden, who co-owns Montrose Taxi LLC, with his wife, Pattie, said increased gas prices “are squeezing us pretty tight. Our prices are set by the state Public Utilities Commission, and they will not allow us to raise our prices.” The winter ski and holiday season are their busiest time. “The people who come to visit the Montrose area this time of year bring their own vehicles.”

Other businesses such as the San Juan Shooting Range have noticed a dropoff in tourist traffic. Paul Miller, who owns the Range with his wife Kerry, said “We’re down probably 30 to 40 percent from last year,” referring to the June 22-29 STI/American Handgunner World Shoot Off Championship, which San Juan has hosted since 1992. He doesn’t have the final figures yet, as people sign up and cancel at the last minute.

“People come from all over,” he said. “I’ve talked to other shooters. They have to pick and choose where  they go. By the time they eat out and pay match fees (and stay in hotels), a lot would be hard-pressed to get here for $1,000.” He predicted that some contestants might share cars and motel rooms to cut costs.

Miller said his costs for ammunition are “going through the roof. It (gas prices) affects everything. Anything you buy costs more because everything else has gone up. I guess we’ll just have to get used to it.”