COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: Thoughts and Concerns
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research 5-2020 COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: Thoughts and Concerns Glenna Hartman Norma P. Nickerson Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/itrr_pubs Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: 2020 Thoughts and Concerns COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: Thoughts and Concerns MT Expression Research Report 2020-6 Glenna Hartman & Norma Nickerson, Ph.D. 5/21/2020 Institute for Tourism & Recreation Research College of Forestry and Conservation The University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 www.itrr.umt.edu Copyright© 2020 Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. All rights reserved. 1 COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: 2020 Thoughts and Concerns Abstract The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been detrimental for both the health and the economy of Montanans and the entire globe. Many of Montana businesses, especially the travel-related businesses, were shut down from mid-March to the end of May. All non-essential travel stopped. The impact on businesses was felt statewide. This report focuses on the open-ended responses within the third round of business surveys conducted by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana. The survey was conducted in the height of Montana’s shut-down to capture the thoughts and concerns of business owners in the travel industry. Of the 440 survey respondents, the majority say this will be a long, slow recovery and nearly half of the businesses say they cannot last over 6 months if this continues. Cutting costs, cutting hours and laying off employees was the current response to staying afloat. As businesses think about re-opening, it is all about keeping employees and customers safe by adopting new cleaning practices and adjusting how their business operates. i COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: 2020 Thoughts and Concerns Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... iii Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 Accommodations ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Outfitter/Guide ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Tourism Services ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Tourism Support Services ....................................................................................................................... 13 Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 16 References/Citations ................................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix A: Comments by Accommodation Owners/Managers .............................................................. 18 If a long, slow recovery, how are you preparing or adjusting your business to endure that gradual recovery? ............................................................................................................................................ 18 What other ways is your business dealing with being open during this pandemic? .......................... 21 If yes, please comment on the usefulness of what you have received. ............................................. 26 Please comment on gaps in aid that would help you now (i.e. what has fallen through the cracks). 28 Do you know why you did not receive aid? Please explain. ............................................................... 31 Please comment on how you think your local/regional/state tourism marketing organizations could help you moving forward. ................................................................................................................... 32 Please add any additional comments about the tourism and recreation industry as it relates to your business and COVID-19 that you would like to share. ........................................................................ 38 Appendix B: Comments by Outfitters and Guides ...................................................................................... 43 If a long, slow recovery, how are you preparing or adjusting your business to endure that gradual recovery? ............................................................................................................................................ 43 What other ways is your business dealing with being open during this pandemic? .......................... 45 If yes, please comment on the usefulness of what your received. .................................................... 46 Please comment on gaps in aid that would help you now (i.e. what has fallen through the cracks). 48 Do you know why you did not receive aid? Please explain. ............................................................... 49 Please comment on how you think your local/regional/state tourism marketing organizations could help you moving forward? .................................................................................................................. 50 ii COVID-19 Impacts on Tourism-Related Businesses: 2020 Thoughts and Concerns Please add any additional comments about the tourism and recreation industry as it relates to your business and COVID-19 that you would like to share. ........................................................................ 53 Appendix C: Comments by Tourism Services .............................................................................................. 55 If a long, slow recovery, how are you preparing or adjusting your business to endure that gradual recovery? ............................................................................................................................................ 55 What other ways is your business dealing with being open during this pandemic? .......................... 57 If yes, please comment on the usefulness of what you have received. ............................................. 59 Please comment on gaps in aid that would help you now (i.e. what has fallen through the cracks). 61 Do you know why you did not receive any aid? Please explain. ........................................................ 63 Please comment on how you think your local/regional/state tourism marketing organizations could help you moving forward. ................................................................................................................... 63 Please add any additional comments about the tourism and recreation industry as it relates to your business and COVID-19 that you would like to share. ........................................................................ 65 Appendix D: Comments by Tourism Support Services ............................................................................... 68 If a long, slow recovery, how are you preparing or adjusting your business to endure that gradual recovery? ............................................................................................................................................ 68 What other ways is your business dealing with being open during this pandemic? .......................... 69 If yes, please comment on the usefulness of what you have received. ............................................. 71 Please comment on gaps in aid that would help you now (i.e. what has fallen through the cracks). 71 Do you know why you did not receive any aid? Please explain. ........................................................ 72 Please comment on how you think your local/regional/state tourism marketing organizations could help you moving forward. ................................................................................................................... 72 Please add any additional comments about the tourism and recreation industry as it relates to your business and COVID-19 that you would like to share. ........................................................................ 74 List of Figures Figure 1- "Accommodations" Respondents: Word Frequency Cloud of Open-Ended Comments ............... 6 Figure 2- "Outfitter/Guide" Respondents: Word Frequency Cloud of Open-Ended Comments .................. 9 Figure 3- "Tourism