How have increased fuel prices impacted on your holiday plans?

Very interesting question and look forward to the replies.......
I was thinking about the same question today considering at the moment I use approx 240l per day.
I have always said that I would continue to travel australia as much as I can until fuel prices become out of control. Then I will start traveling to Asia. I had never thought about when that cut off line would be until today. I am thinking at $5 a litre. Until then I will not be changing any of my travel plans for Aus travel
Peter

At this stage it hasn't changed our view of travelling.

However, I think it will potentilly change tourism infrastructure over time, especially if we see less people travelling.

Post the project into a blog on here; I'd certainly be interested to read your daughter's findings.

Good luck

Heading to the Kimberly from Mandurah WA in Sept 6500kms round trip, diesel will probably be over $2.00 by then but nothing is going to stop me from seeing this part of our country.

Hi

The fuel prices have not made us change any of our plans, we
are leaving Melbourne in August for Cape York, 5 week trip and
have set a budget of $2.30 per litre for fuel, thinking that it will
cost us around $5000, our trip to the Kimberley in 2006 cost us
about $3500 in fuel. No matter what the cost it will not make
us stay home and not see this magnificent country while we are
able. Good luck with the project and let us all know how she goes.

I think at this time we are griining and bearing it....but lurking in each of our minds is this..."where will it end, can they stop these increases, or will it continue to just go up and up, can we continue to ignore it hoping that it will go away"....I guess it will take it's toll on all of us...some sooner, some later"....but for the moment at least, we adjust as best we can and continue with our plans.

At least the whole world is aware of it and there are those who are greater than us who are attempting to bring some order to the current situation,

One thing for sure, we all have this forum which help keep us of similar interests to stay in touch with each other as world events continue to unfold...who knows what the future holds...we all watch with interest knowing that it will impact us all eventually.

As you know we in WA have this current gas crisis which is effecting a lot of workers and their families.

I walk to work each day, about 5 minutes, and whislt I have zero consumption during the working week I will not limit holiday travel due to price. When it's no longer available I think we have a problem but whilst I have money in my pocket I'm satisfied to pay. Just about ready to leave on a 7K trip for 3 weeks into remote country and I know I'll need a bit more cash. Thankfully they are still making that too!!

Been saving up for 18 months for our trip on the Canning in July 08. Budgetted for $2400.00 for the Diesel Landcruiser. Now it looks like it will be closer to $4,000.00. We are not going to cancel or modify our trip, in fact, we are more inclined to do it now before the fuel prices really put it out of contention.

One of the things I do is concerned with the 4wd travel industry. I initially thought that fewer people would be travelling this year, but it seems quite the opposite. This could be due to a number of factors, including those who do it now before it becomes too expensive.

We started travelling 10 years ago with a 13ft. off-road pop-top towing with a 4.2 Patrol petrol/gas. At that time the trip around Aus. incl. Cape York (without the van) cost us 10 cents/km. costs gradually crept up and 2 years ago it was costing us 18 cents/km. We then bought a 4.2 Patrol Turbo Diesel gu ser. I with 190000 kms. on the clock. We then did a trip to Onslow and back through the Murchison and Gascoign in W.A. cost 20 cents/km
We have just returned from an unsuccessfull trip intno Rudall N.P (due to rain) cost 30 cents/km.
Whether this effects holiday arrangements is too subjective depending on one's financial situation to have any meaning in this forum I would suggest
I hope this helps, Good luck,
Tom

No, it hasn't altered my view on travel having just come back from Central Australia and then going off straight away on another trip south.

BUT the fuel crisis is sitting there in the back of my mind. Being a pensioner means I have to budget for everything. I am thinking that maybe we should cut down to having one vehicle but that would only save rego and some running costs. So maybe I will drive my diesel until it becomes uneconomical and then I may use it as a hen-house.

Luckily I have seen and enjoyed much of Australia and have had some excellent trips over the years. Not much left now to see and maybe I had better do those trips soon.


Cheers

Holiday driving is different to daily driving.
You can change your day-to-day driving, but the holiday has to match what you want out of a holiday.

Holidays have a cost.. the fuel makes a difference, but I think most people just have to save a bit more, or hit the card a bit harder, and have the holiday.

Certainly has changed our plans.

As a single income family with one parent studying and two under two, the cost of running a large 4wd and having the spare cash to get away on trips is difficult.

As a consequence, the 4wd is being sold off, and a family vehicle being purchased. We will still travel, but closer to home and a little less adventurous. Plus, our toddler doesnt really 'get' going bush yet- its still to him all cars, ducks and the family dog Zac. As long as they are present along with mum and dad, he's apples. Therefore we would rather wait a few years when the kids can appreciate it a little more.

In a few years we will be in a better position to start again once my income reaches a level it once was again, and my wife is back working again.

My wife and I (that sounds royal) are planning a trip but due to fuel prices, we are both on a pension with a little superannuation, we plan to do it a lot slower. We plan only to move on on pension day and limit our mileage and if the distance requires a stop over we will do these at camp sites. I can carry enough water, which is the main thing for four days without overloading my caravan and car.

Here are posts within the last week on the same subject for you to ponder, link linklink link link

I like what Cruisen Tom said above, "Whether this effects holiday arrangements is too subjective depending on one's financial situation to have any meaning in this forum I would suggest".

The most basic way to look at it would be this; if you had started planning and saving for a trip 18 months ago and you have been able to absorb the rise in interest rates and general cost of living during that period and still budget for your trip and still have enough to put more aside when you realise that that fuel will be more than you budgeted for, then no, fuel prices wont impact on your travel plans.

It really does just come down to an individual's financial circumstances.

regards

Brian

it has not impacted on me one little bit
i could not afford to travel last year
& cant afford to travel this year
so nothing has changed!

they impact them, you bet, otherwise we wouldnt be screaming.....!!

but does it stop us??? NO WAY ! ! !

we buy less of the fun stuff while we're away and just keep to what is neccessary just like at home!

let us know how she goes!

ps...I helped my cousin 4yrs ago on animal testing...i changed her view on it and added in the 1080 foxbait, mulzing and something else.....but she was in yr 6....wonder if this one can be twisted a little.....???

G'day
Talking to people and seeing the amount of caravans and campers on the highways it would appear that people are still taking that trip , but in most cases this travel would have been planned some time ago and those in the workforce will have booked their holidays in advance
Next year may well be a different story
I would suggest as others in this thread have that it all depends on the finances
Those on limited and fixed incomes will be affected and I cannot see how anyone relying ONLY on goverment pension can afford to leave home
Has it affected us ? Yes somewhat , we are in the about to retire and travel to the other side of the continent is out of the question but we will still explore destinations closer to home .
Except for the very well off everyone will reach a point where it bites hard enough at some point
I did notice on a recent trip here in Queensland that there were less Victorian number plates than I expected , but plenty of Qld. and NSW ones
When will technology such as coal to oil and shale oil beging to become reality ?
And how much of the price increase is due to hedge fund speculation ?
Garry

Louie, I think it all comes down to value for money. I can spend say $5000 for a month away camping, four wheel driving, exploring some wonderful places in Aus or a can get 14 days on a cruise ship, or a ten day trip to somewhere flying.

For me, I will always choose to holiday in Aus and promote the economy here rather than spend my money overseas.

So to answer the question, Yes fuel prices have impacted on holiday plans, but it just means it may take longer to save or more time between holidays, or driving slower to save fuel. They will still be spent here in Aus. and will still be 4wd'ing holidays.

Louie,

Heading off for a 16,500KM round trip to the Kimberly on Wednesday with 5 other vehicles. Fuel prices haven't impacted our planning.
Also be doing about 4,000KM on the Bourke Outback Treck in October.
I do have a small sedan to run around town though.

Louie

Only poor health will stop us, doing our "planned" 13,000 km trip next year.
I don't care about fuel prices, unless I have no money to buy it. And if that's the case, I will put the extra $1000 on the "fantastic plastic", and pay it off in the first month back at work.

Every day travel, and food price inflation, worries me more, than a 3 year planned trip.

I can live with that !

Cheers
Bucky

Traverling this july,have planned for twelve mnths.fuel prices are one part of total cost.Cost of surspenen,camping gear,outback drawes,roofrack ect all play apart in how far we travel.also our amount of holidays,but most of all i'm controled by the amount of desposiible money i have.

We are heading up to Cape Leveque in a couple of weeks from Perth and we are planning on doing about 6-7k's all up. Fuel prices are not going to stop us. We are saving up our Cole and Woolworths dockets and have been on the web to plan our fuel stops base on the ability to us the dockets where we can.

Even with out the shopping centre dockets we would still be going because it is just a fact of life that fuel will always go up in price.

Simon