ROANOKE, VA – With the Fourth of July just around the corner, tourism is feeling the heat — literally — and costs are rising, but visitors are still making plans to celebrate here in Southwest Virginia.
“You won’t go broke by coming to visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge,” President of Visit VBR Landon Howard said.
Landon Howard is the president of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge and says while prices and temperatures are soaring, the demand hasn’t slowed down.
“If it’s anything like May, we had the best May in our history with a 10% increase in revenues, and June has continued as we see more and more demand from people coming in,” Howard said.
Howard says that growing interest comes with new challenges, especially as extreme heat moves into the region.
He encourages visitors to be strategic, planning around the hottest parts of the day.
“You can make your itinerary so the hottest part of the day you’re inside, and then in the morning and evening you can get out and enjoy our outdoor attractions,” he said.
And while many families are looking for ways to cut back, he says destinations like Virginia’s Blue Ridge still offer value, especially compared to long-distance trips.
“Instead of maybe going to Florida or flying to Europe or whatever, they see value in a vacation here,” he said.
And while tourism is strong locally, Morgan Dean with AAA says travelers state and nationwide are still navigating a mix of high demand and hotter temperatures.
“Here in Virginia, over two million people will be traveling. Of those two million traveling, about 1.88 million will be hitting the roadway,” Dean said.
Gas prices have dipped slightly compared to last summer, but AAA says they’re still fluctuating, and for many families, every dollar counts.
“Economic uncertainties are top of mind and have been throughout this year for folks, including travelers,” Dean said.
If families are concerned about cost, AAA says they’re not necessarily staying home — they’re getting creative.
“They may be balancing their budget along the way. If gas prices are a little bit more than maybe they were budgeting for a couple weeks ago, maybe that’s a quick restaurant and some fast food on their way to their destination, versus stopping at maybe a fancier, seafood restaurant,” Dean said.
Even though the Fourth of July is still a week away, Morgan says because of when the holiday falls this year — travel and tourism are already picking up.
