Inflation putting a chill on family summer vacation plans

(NewsNation) — Two years removed from the start of pandemic, many expected this summer to be their chance to vacation — to finally be outside. New survey data reveals, however, that what COVID-19 couldn’t ruin, inflation has.  

According to the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, four our of 10 parents who initially made plans to send their kids to camp have canceled because costs had become too high. A staggering 68% of respondents said inflation played into their decision-making about whether to send their kids to summer camp.

The crunch of inflation is also being felt on camps’ end as well. American Camp Association CEO Tom Rosenberg told Yahoo! Finance soaring prices have driven the cost of running camps higher, which has resulted in the higher prices for parents.

“We’ve had increases in labor costs, food costs, program supply costs, COVID-related costs. Everything has gone up,” Rosenberg told the publication in an interview this past April. According to their research,  the average cost of day camp nearly doubled from $76 per day last year to $178 per day this year.

Camp wasn’t the only summer activity off the table this year. The MassMutual report further disclosed that of the 45% of Americans who don’t plan to travel this summer, nearly half said they are staying at home because inflation has made it too expensive to travel. 

One Dallas family who spoke with NewsNation correspondent Markie Martin found their summer vacation’s cost had become prohibitive, removing leaving town as an option this summer. They told her one of their last remaining affordable options is to stay in town.

“I just chose to make plans around the city. Instead of traveling — airfare is high, gas is high, food is high — I just chose to make a fun vacation, summer trip here in Dallas!” said Regiss Richards.