HYANNIS – Tourism officials on Cape Cod are continuing to keep a close eye on the coronavirus as it continues to spread across Massachusetts and the country.
“It’s an understatement to say it’s changing by the hour, by the minute, we have been tracking for weeks now the potential impact to travel and tourism based on the Covid virus being a global issue,” said Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross.
“Of course Cape Cod enjoys great numbers of people that travel here from other countries but the predominant visitor that we serve here on Cape Cod does come within a day’s drive of Cape Cod.”
Currently Cape Cod is in peak booking season, the time of year where a majority of people plan summer and fall trips to Barnstable County and the Islands.
According to Northcross, every year around this time, the Chamber’s website sees an increase in traffic from previous years in regards to travel information.
Thursday was the first day in which the website saw a decrease in traffic from previous years.
Northcross added that while the majority of travelers to Cape Cod come from within a five hour drive, the region will see a loss of international business if the national travel ban continues longer than expected.
“We are certainly going to feel the loss of international business if the ban to travel goes much longer than what’s been announced,” said Northcross.
“We do get a lot of people that have come into Massachusetts for other reasons maybe they’re going to Boston for a business conference they realize Cape Cod is so close by that they decide to take an extra day or two for a side trip,” she said.
“We also see a great deal of international travel in the fall months, people from Europe love coming in September, October, and November.”
Northcross said that she thinks that Barnstable County is still in a good position to see high tourism numbers because when the worst of the virus has passed, people will feel comfortable traveling.
“We think we are well positioned for once the worst is over that people will feel comfortable and happy to take a vacation and I think that we will be certainly glad to see them,” said Northcross.
Cape Cod has a $14 billion gross regional product, and in calendar year 2018 tourism generated over $1.2 billion in direct spending.
Northcross said that the chamber has been working hard the last week with the regional tourism councils across the state to develop a marketing plan that speaks to people in Massachusetts to let them know that there are a lot of great things to do in the Bay State.
The chamber is also working closely with local business to see if they can help with potentially lost cash flow or if a business needs help finding seasonal workers.
A survey for local business has been released by the Small Business Association that can help local business on Cape Cod recover potential lost cash flow due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“We are also working to help our members with other issues, the access to season workforce, the need for cash flow coverage,” Northcross said.
To take the survey, visit capecodchamber.org and click on the public policy and advocacy link.
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