Higher Gas Prices May Help Door County Compete

When gas prices rise, Door County business owners get nervous. Conventional wisdom says higher prices equal bad news for traffic counts on the peninsula since we are, after all, a mostly drive-to destination. But Jack Moneypenny, director of the Door County Visitor Bureau, subscribes to the theory that the surge could help the county compete with larger, more distant destinations.

Moneypenny is in Lake Geneva attending the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and said gas prices are the hot topic.

“A lot of people are talking about it,” he said. “People in the industry are being guarded and optimistic. But our customer in Door County tends to be a little higher than middle class and the price of a trip to Door County for anyone in our market has only changed about $20. I don’t think that’s going to stop someone from coming.”

Oil prices recently rushed past $100 a barrel, and industry analysts are predicting the price of gas will hover around $3.50, possibly going as high as $4 a gallon next summer. The continued increase in the price of gas doesn’t only pull at consumer’s wallets when they travel, but takes a toll on a daily basis, giving them less to spend on extras like travel, dining out, and entertainment. In light of this, Door County may become the more affordable option for travelers who might otherwise look to fly to Florida or travel overseas.

“Opinions are all over the map right now,” Moneypenny said. “But the cost of air travel will rise too, and that makes us an even better option.”