TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — The cost of experiencing Florida paradise is more expensive due to increasing gas prices, tourists said.
"It was a lot," Sarah Alarcon, a tourist from Texas, said. "Everything we've seen was close to $5 a gallon."
That's about how much Alarcon and her family paid driving from Dallas, Texas to Tampa.
"Once you put your debit card and you see the price at the end, you almost don't want to look at it anymore," Alex Alarcon said.
Over the weekend, the national average per gallon of regular gasoline reached $5 for the first time, according to AAA. This time last year, that number was just more than $3 per gallon.
In Florida, the current price of gas as of Sunday sits shy at $4.88.
Last year, the majority of visitors to the state arrived by "non-air means," according to Visit Florida. Other tourists who've driven from out-of-state in the past mentioned they would be hesitant to drive to Florida this year at this rate.
"It would have been pretty expensive. It's typically a two-day drive, but 18 hours for us. So probably three tanks of gas and [with] today's prices, it would make a dent," Mike Kasala, a tourist from Ohio, said.
Despite the rise in prices, tourism still appears to be thriving at Super Scoops on Treasure Island.
However, ice-cream seller Ian Brown said it's not tourism that's a current concern, but the cost of doing business because of general inflation and supply chain issues.
While tourists are finding ways to vacation, a road trip like this may not happen soon for some if the cost of traveling stays this high.
Experts believe it may be too soon to understand what kind of impact rising prices may have on tourism. However, a number of people have stated they would change their driving behaviors due to the prices.
"So far, the pent-up urge to travel caused by the pandemic outweighs high pump prices for many consumers," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement. "But 67% of drivers recently surveyed told us they would change their driving habits if gas hit $4.50 a gallon. That number rises to 75% at $5 a gallon. If pump prices keep rising, will people alter their summer travel plans? That remains to be seen."