How will rapidly rising Airfares and gasoline change Orlando and Las Vegas? (cost, hotel)

[fresh_greenery]

The two cities in America with over 120,000 Hotel Rooms are Las Vegas and Orlando. Both places are highly dependant in tourism. I can't believe that once there are only 3-4 major Airlines left after the Bush Administration's Justice Department allows all the mergers and gasoline goes over $5.00 a gallon, the tourism business will be in terrible trouble. How has rising costs effecting the tourist industry?

[cleosmom]

This is an interesting question. I work for a pet boarding hotel where I live and one thing is for certain, we're not slowing down! As it is, we added an additional building with another 40 kennels last summer and yes, we were totally booked full for Spring Break & Easter.

What it tells me is that people aren't letting the economy slow them down.

I think because of who we've become as a Nation, we'll continue travel as that's what we're used to and need the down time.

Heck, I'm even contemplating a trip to Vegas this summer, only thing stalling me is the heat

[texdav]

I do thnik that peole will make adjustments but then in many places the economy is booming. Also many are just cutting back and going domestic rather than to europe etc. The effect on domestic tourism IMO are further down the road as fuel and food prices rise.

[PeteyNice]

and not to mention as the dollar continues to tank it makes the US a much more desirable place for international tourists to go. So any fall off from domestic visitors will be cancelled out by foreign visitors (in top destinations like Vegas, Orlando, NYC, etc).

[tande1n5]

Where do you get 3-4 Majors from? Even if proposed mergers were to work out, there's:

Delta/NW combo
possible UA/Continental combo
American
USAirways
Southwest
Alaska
Frontier (Reclassified as major in 07, believe they still are... although it may change with them in ch.11)
JetBlue

The largest operator into both LAS and MCO is Southwest, so although they're not sitting quite as pretty anymore with their fuel hedge expiring shortly, they're still quite the low-cost force to be reckoned with.