RAPID CITY - The Black Hills
began the summer of 2007 with rising fuel prices and fears in the
tourism industry that gas prices would persuade summer visitors to
stay at home this year.
That hasn't happened; the
South Dakota Department of Tourism reports visitation is up 10
percent this year.
And gas prices? They are
falling, not rising.
The prices of some grades of
gasoline have dipped below the $3 mark - with a vengeance in one
case. The Concord gas station on west Main Street in Rapid City
slashed its price to $2.699 per gallon on Friday, and by Friday
afternoon business was very, very brisk at the small, independent
station.
Elsewhere around town, gas
prices ranged from $2.969 for mid-grade 10-percent ethanol blend to
$3.029 for regular gasoline.
Meanwhile, tourism officials
reported a good summer season, at least through June. Last week,
the state Office of Tourism reported that car counts at visitor
centers throughout the state were about 10 percent ahead of last
year. Generally, 2006 was a flat year for tourism, and industry
officials began 2007 with fairly low
expectations.
However, Internet and mail
inquiries for the peak summer tourism season were up 17.5 percent
over 2006 during March through June, the Office of Tourism
reported. In addition, year-to-date inquiries have increased 11.3
percent.
"Our enhanced marketing
efforts and increased online presence, combined with a consistent
marketing message over the past years, have successfully attracted
people and given them what they're looking for," said Billie Jo
Waara, director of the South Dakota Office of
Tourism.
And in July, some of the
Black Hills attractions, especially the outdoor venues, reported a
drop-off in numbers. Visitors weren't so concerned about the $3 gas
as they were about the 100-degree temperatures.
Conrad Rupert, owner of The
Black Hills Maze south of Rapid City, said June traffic at his
attraction was very strong. But when temperatures heat up - the
National Weather Service reported 10 days of 100-degee temperatures
this year, compared with four days a year ago, which is normal -
tourists are less interested in outdoor
activities.
"They're more likely to go
find a cave to tour," Rupert said with a
chuckle.
Steve Kercluik and his
daughter, Sydney, traveled from Ontario to the Black Hills last
week. On Tuesday, with temperatures well over 100 degrees, they
lingered in the air-conditioned snack shop at the Black Hills Maze.
"Is it always this hot down here?," he asked.
Bear Country U.S.A.'s Mike
Casey estimated that traffic in June of this year was about 11
percent above last year. Through July 10, the car count at the
drive-through zoo south of Rapid City had dropped by more than 8
percent, he said.
Now the temperatures have
cooled, gas prices are dropping -- and the 2007 Sturgis motorcycle
rally is about to start. It doesn't get any better that this for
the tourism industry.
Overall gasoline prices in
the Black Hills have been drifting lower since mid-May and early
June, when regular gas topped out at $3.359 per gallon, an all-time
record for the Black Hills. Since then, the average price has
fallen about 10 percent in the past two months.
At $3.029 per gallon,
regular gasoline is 3 cents cheaper than it was at this time last
year. However, in the summer of 2006, gas prices were headed
higher. Regular gas peaked in the Black Hills at $3.159 during the
August 2006 motorcycle rally in Sturgis.
An illustration of where gas
prices have gone: In March 1999, gasoline in Rapid City was priced
below $1. Five years ago, the price was $1.10 per gallon. In fact,
regular gas didn't top $2 in Rapid City until March 2005. Just six
months later, after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the price
in Rapid City breached the $3 mark.
In the two years since then,
the price has not gone below $2 per gallon in Rapid
City.
Contact Dan Daly at 394-8421
or dan.daly@rapidcityjournal.com
