Local chamber of commerce leaders are preparing for the impact that rising energy costs will have on local businesses.
“No one wants to repeat what we experienced in the 1970s when people were lined up at the pumps,” said Susan Williams, executive director of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce. “We are all intertwined and the higher prices will fuel the inflationary cycle.”
“My hope is that we don’t lose businesses over this. Our small businesses are struggling already and energy costs are increasing,” said Tracy Becker, executive director of the Clarion Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“The consensus of the small business owners was that people would be more thoughtful about making discretionary trips whether it is for shopping or is business related,” she said.
Becker agreed.
“I think people are going to want to stay closer to home or at home. The money they would spend on gas could pay a bill at home,” she said.
The higher prices could also affect how people work.
And The cost of gas is also likely to impact the summer travel season.
“People are ready to get out,” said Williams. “I believe the people who can bear the cost will still travel. The biggest burden is on those people who do not have discretionary money and are on a tighter budget.”
“We just came out of the COVID pandemic and people are looking forward to doing things again and now this. We don’t know how long this will last,” said Becker.
The biggest event in Clarion is the Autumn Leaf Festival much later in the year.
“We get a lot of out-of-town visitors for the Autumn Leaf Festival,” said Becker. “Many of our vendors come here and if they see an increase in their costs they will pass it on. They can only absorb so much. It gets passed down to us one way or another. It is a vicious circle.”
Becker also said “if people don’t come to the festival that means empty hotel rooms and empty tables in restaurants.”
“What the long effects will be remains to be seen,” said Williams. “At the chamber we want to do what we can to help our members just like we did in the COVID pandemic. It gave us a chance to connect like we never had to do in the past.”