Gas prices have many Nebraska travelers thinking closer, cheaper

Memorial Day weekend is the start of the summer travel season, and Midlanders facing gas prices near $4 a gallon may be looking for destinations closer to home. In the early months of this year, traffic on Interstate 80 was thinner than at the same time last year, said Tom Doering, research coordinator of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

On the other hand, travel and tourism have steadily increased in Nebraska for years, and the urge to travel may still be strong enough to put people on the road this summer.

Nebraskans have an advantage over other travelers because the prices for meals, lodging and admission to attractions are generally lower in their state than elsewhere. Earlier this month, the AAA motor club reported that average travel expenses in Nebraska for a family of four were second-lowest in the nation. Nebraska’s lodging costs are seventh-lowest in the nation, Doering said.

Shannon Mullen, senior travel sales specialist for AAA Nebraska, said patrons often mention gas prices when planning. “They say if gas prices hit $4, they don’t know if they can take their family on an extended vacation,” she said.