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High Gas Prices Force Manitoba RV Owners to Rethink Vacations

High gas prices in Manitoba (Canada) are forcing RV owners to rethink their vacation plans, leading many to keep their vehicles parked this season. 

As per a report, Marie Zacharias, an RV owner, shared that she moved between different RV parks last summer but decided to keep her 38-foot RV parked this year due to high fuel costs. 

She mentioned speaking to another RV owner who said, “We’re not taking it anywhere this year. We’re going to park it, and we’re going to fly where we want to go. We can’t afford it.”

Ken Kornelson, the president of the Town and Country Campground, explained that this trend isn’t surprising. When gas prices hit CA$2 per liter last year, many RV owners simply couldn’t afford the fuel costs. Kornelson recalled receiving phone calls from people canceling reservations, saying, “Sorry, we cannot come. The fuel is just too high. We won’t be coming.”

Although gas prices aren’t as high as last year – currently sitting over CA$1.60 per liter – Kornelson fears a similar situation may arise with visitors from outside the province. 

In contrast to these concerns, Johan Arnason with True North Motors and RV in Selkirk says that sales remain strong. Arnason observed that many customers are staying within Manitoba’s borders and are becoming more interested in lighter campers that can be pulled by cars and SUVs instead of trucks.

To attract Manitoba campers, Kornelson is working on reinventing his campground by building an artificial lake and a new restaurant. He hopes these improvements will make the park more appealing to people in Winnipeg, reducing the need for them to travel far. In the long run, Kornelson would like to see a small gas tax implemented. He believes that if it cost less for people to fill up, more people from outside the province and country would return, benefiting both his business and the broader tourism industry in Manitoba.

High fuel costs not only impact the choices of RV owners but also have a ripple effect on the tourism industry. With RV owners choosing to stay closer to home or seek alternative vacation options, campgrounds and other businesses that rely on tourism may experience a decline in visitors from outside the province. As a result, these businesses may need to adapt their offerings to cater to a more local audience.

Governments and policymakers could consider various approaches to addressing this issue. Implementing a small gas tax, as suggested by Kornelson, could potentially reduce fuel costs and encourage more people to travel by RV, benefiting the tourism industry. 

Additionally, promoting eco-friendly travel options and investing in renewable energy sources for transportation could help alleviate the burden of high fuel costs on RV owners and other travelers.

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Hi, you might find this article from Modern Campground interesting: High Gas Prices Force Manitoba RV Owners to Rethink Vacations! This is the link: https://moderncampground.com/canada/manitoba/high-gas-prices-force-manitoba-rv-owners-to-rethink-vacations/