WASHINGTON - As the price of gasoline has risen in recent weeks to nearly $3 a gallon in many parts of the country ?" its highest level since the fall of 2008 ?" NPR speculates that summer vacation plans could take the hit.

Last year, the nationwide price of gasoline was nearly one dollar per gallon cheaper than today, and NPR said that the timing for recent price hikes seems ill timed, especially noting abundant oil supplies for the year and lingering high unemployment.

However, gas prices are being driven up by an expectation that global consumption of oil will increase this year, said Daniel Yergin, author of The Prize, a book about the oil industry. He said that oil investors are expecting China and countries in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East to begin increasing their consumption of oil.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that world oil consumption will increase 1.5 million barrels a day this year. And last week, the agency said that it expects retail gasoline prices to top $3 per gallon nationwide this summer (by comparison, gas sold for roughly $2.50 a gallon last year).

Despite the higher oil prices, air travel has remained unaffected. Travelocity said that fares for round-trip flights are running about 13 percent higher than last summer.

NPR predicted that higher travel costs could discourage Americans from going on vacation this summer, which would dampen prospects for the economic recovery.

"Rising oil prices create negative feedback on the economy," Yergin said. "[If prices keep heading up in coming weeks], it could start affecting businesses," which could derail recovery efforts.