ATLANTA — With the combination of nice weather and loosening pandemic restrictions throughout the state, many experts believe the upcoming spring break in metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia will be full of travelers.
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With gas prices steadily climbing, the cost of those trips are likely to be going up. AAA says prices are at the highest point they’ve been since the spring of 2019. AAA and other analysts say prices may approach $3 a gallon by summer.
The weekly AAA gas price report says prices have climbed 17 cents in the past month and 80 cents in the past year.
For people like Marissa Smookler, who travels an hour to work, the increase is painful.
“I have to get gas about twice a week. So it adds up, it’s a lot of money. I have to get gas I have to pay whatever they’re asking for,” said Smookler.
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Channel 2 Action News Anchor Linda Stouffer spoke to AAA’s Garrett Townsend about the price increase and the expectations for travel as we approach Spring Break for schools and the summer travel season.
“We expect people to start traveling again, start getting back to that vacation activity,” said Townsend.
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Townsend says the industry is watching demand to see just how much more Americans begin driving.
“Well if there is any good news on the horizon, it’s that we’ve seen a little bit of a stabilizing of crude oil prices. It really just depends on what happens with demand,” said Townsend.
For Yamasih Evans, as he watches prices get higher, he believes it hasn’t directly had an impact. Yet.
“All the expenses we do not have for example, parking and other related expenses. So for me I think it’s kind of balancing out,” said Evans.
