KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ryan Hiser and David Tran owners of The Truitt, A Boutique Hotel, say between the pandemic and rising inflation everyone deserves a nice hotel stay.
“We need a trip,” Hiser said.
“We’re looking for a getaway ourselves,” Tran added.
As owners of a small business, Hiser and Tran are making adjustments due to inflation. In their personal lives, they are doing the same.
“We’re looking for something just like everyone else," Hiser said about a potential vacation. "We’re going to do something local and small too."
Hiser and Tran have also advised guests to look at local vacations as inflation continues to climb.
“So, we’ve noticed people, they are coming from this three to five hour radius, or even locally to come visit, or to come get away, or they are trying to take a trip that is more affordable right now,” Hiser said.
Frank Lenk, a local economist with the Mid America Regional Council, said gas prices accounted for 35 percent of the overall price increase. He advised that the key to an affordable summer vacation, is to remain flexible about your plans.
“Instead of a plane trip, they might take a car trip, and when they take that car trip, they may not travel as far in order to save on the real cost of the trip, and it will definitely alter peoples travel plans,” Lenk said.
However, The Truitt Hotel owners say they are working hard around inflation and supply chain issues by making sure their guests have a sweet stay.
“We give guests a surprise chocolate on their bed when they arrive, and the chocolates they're delayed right now by quite a bit, because not necessarily the chocolates are taking time to make but because of the boxes they come in are really delayed,” Hiser said.
“Sometimes as a small business that's harder for us to have that huge bulk but it’s something we have to plan accordingly for,” Tran said.
