Working Class Take To The Bike, Affluent Continue With Travel Plans

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:17:47 +0000
Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News Writer

New York, NY (AHN) - The bike industry is definitely benefiting from the non-stop increases in pump prices. From sale of new bikes to repairs of older models and sale of accessories, boost in revenues has been reported by bicycle shops across New York City and other parts of the country.

Julie Aupperlee, owner of the Long Island Bike Shop, reported a 20 percent rise in overall sales, 30 percent hike in repairs and tune-ups.

To accommodate the travel mode shift to cycling, the Nassau County Planning Commission would add more bike lanes by about 60 to 70 miles in the coming years, while it would disseminate the expansion of bike roads in the Internet, according to Patricia Bourne, executive commissioner of the Nassau County Planning Commission.

While the members of the working class are forced to shift their travel habits and change their lifestyles to cope up with soaring gas prices by biking to work, there would still be travel bugs who would insist on hitting the road despite the high cost of travel.

Some are the affluent who are not affected by the soaring price of fuel. Others are people who place a premium on journeying.

Pamela Hurley-Moser, organizer of the Luxury Explorer Showcase such as African safaris, Amazon and Galapagos tours and even space tourism, told the AP, "There's a middle range where people are going to scrimp and save in almost every other area in their life so they can do a trip."

The two markets sustain the travel industry amid the hard times that despite the average price tag of $64,950 per head to join TCS Expedition's Wildlife of the World and History's Lost Cities tours, the agency's 2008 schedule is fully booked and its packages for 2009 are almost sold out, said Melanie Cole, the company's vice president of sales.

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