Pioneer Valley Tourism begins to return to normalDate: 8/30/2021 WESTERN MASS. – Tourism is getting closer to pre-pandemic norms in the Pioneer Valley region, according to President of the Greater Springfield Visitors and Convention Bureau Mary Kay Wydra.
“People were very optimistic about tourism entering the summer,” said Wydra. She explained that this June’s hotel occupancy rate of 63.6 percent is nearly identical to the 64 percent occupancy of June 2019. Wydra said that pent up demand for travel, alongside the re-opening of destination locations like Six Flags, has drawn crowds in throughout the summer. “We’re having a really strong summer so far,” said Wydra
Inclement weather made July more of a challenge. “Mother nature didn’t cooperate for some of our outdoor attractions,” said Wydra. However, she shared that the weather did not deter tourism. An array of indoor attractions, like the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Museums, and Yankee Candle, all enjoyed strong business throughout the rainy weather, according to Wydra.
Another encouraging sign comes from the return of several annual events. Wydra shared that the Jazz and Roots Festival, the Pioneer Valley Wine & Food Festival and the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast all returned under semi-normal operations this summer. “Events are coming back, and people are traveling here to see them,” said Wydra.
Each positive step forward is noteworthy after enduring a 2020 tourism season dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. “Last year we fell off the cliff,” said Wydra. According to Wydra, 2020 started with a lot of momentum, with events like the Red Sox Winter Weekend leading to stronger January and February numbers than 2019.
Once COVID-19 hit in March, the numbers began to drop significantly. Wydra explained that a 32 percent hotel occupancy in March 2020 represented a sizable shift from the 54 percent of 2019, while April experienced similar struggles with a 28.9 percent occupancy. From there, the summer of 2020 saw an uptick in tourists, but the figures were still a far cry from annual norms. “We were increasing, but nowhere near where we’re at this year. It was very challenging,” said Wydra. For example, June of 2020 only experienced 39.9 percent occupancy, according to Wydra’s information.
Despite the 2020 struggles, the area’s destination marketers worked nonstop to increase tourism awareness. “We never took the Western Mass. brand out of our theater markets,” Wydra said, with her team continuing to market toward key areas like Boston, Connecticut, New York and Providence, Rhode Island. Wydra and her team implemented myriad of marketing strategies, utilizing digital advertisements, billboards and website takeovers to get the word out about Western Mass.
As numbers begin to regain their pre-pandemic form, Wydra and her team look ahead to a busy fall season. “We’re looking forward to welcoming back some of the convention groups that cancelled when COVID-19 hit,” said Wydra. Marquee events like the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement and the EASTEC Society of Manufacturing Engineers will be welcomed back, alongside the return of the Big E and other outdoor seasonal events.
With operations beginning to normalize, a new challenge has arisen. Wydra and her team are centering their focus on increasing employment in the hospitality industry, which still has not returned from pre-pandemic conditions. She said her team is implementing outreach programs like the Western Mass. Job Trail to help the industry return to its normal capacities.
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