Higher fuel prices are affecting more than drivers at the gas pump. They are also influencing the cost of travel, creating challenges for tourism businesses in Savannah as they navigate a slower summer and a rebound in fall visitors.

For trolley tour companies, the impact comes from two directions: the cost of fueling their vehicles and the possibility that higher gas prices will discourage families from driving to Savannah in the first place.

Joe Marinelli, president and CEO of Visit Savannah, said fuel prices topping $4 a gallon during July and August contributed to travel challenges during an already difficult summer for the local tourism industry.

“When it’s really hot, families like to travel, but they’re also the people that are on more of a budget,” Marinelli said. “And when gas prices are four dollars plus, that makes it harder for them to travel.”

Read more at WSAV.