Monterey officially opens the door to tourists

Tourists started returning when restaurants opened up two weeks ago but on Friday overnight stays and attractions are now a possibility.

DOOR TO TOURISTSTODAY FOR THE FIRSTTIME IN MONTHS.ACTION NEWS EIGHTREPORTER CAITLINCONRAD JOINS US LIVEFROM THE WHARF WITHAN OUTLOOK ON THESUMMER TRAVEL SEASON.

DAN TOURISTS STARTEDRETURNING WHENRESTAURANTS OPENEDUP TWO WEEKS AGO...BUT TODAY OVERNIGHTSTAYS AND ATTRACTIONSARE NOW APOSSIBILITY...WHILE IT IS ALL GOODNEWS FOR BUSINESS...MANY ARE HAVINGTROUBLE FORECASTINGJUST HOW GOODBUSINESS WILL BE.

MONTEREY OPENED THEDOORS TO TOURISTSFRIDAY.ALLOWING HOTELS...WHALE WATCHING... ANDOTHER ATTRACTIONS TORESUME BUSINESS FORTHE FIRST TIME INMONTHS.CHRIS ARCOLEO 2:55 OUR BOATSARE ALL FULL TODAY WE ARE FULLTHROUGH THE WEEKEND LIMITEDAMOUNT OF PEOPLE BUT WE'REBOOKEDTOURISM IS THE NO.

1ECONOMY ON THEMONTEREY PENINSULAFUELING 27 THOUSANDJOBS PRIOR TO THEPANDEMIC.STUDIES SHOW THERE ISA PENT UP DEMAND TOTRAVEL THIS SUMMERBUT JUST HOW THATWILL PLAY OUT THISTOURIST SEASONREMAINS UNCLEAR.TED BALESTRERI 18:17 YOU DON'THAVE THE AQUARIUM OPEN YOUDON'T HAVE THE HOTELS OPEN IT ISALITTLE BIT OF A DRAG THERESTAURANTSARE FEELING THE ROAD STOP BUTTHEYDON'T HAVE THAT IMPACT THATCOMPRESSION THAT YOU NEED WHENYOU HAVE A LOT OF TOURISM.SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSSAY EVEN IF THE PEOPLECOME BACK THERE ARELIMITS ON HOW MANYPEOPLE THEY CAN SERVEUNDER THE CURRENTSOCIAL DISTANCINGMANDATES.WHALE WATCHING BOATSARE GOING OUT AT 40PERCENT CAPACITY...RESTAURANTS ARERUNNING AT 50 PERCENTCAPACITY.DOMINIC MERCURIO 10:15 ITDOESN'T WORK -- I MEAN IT WILLWORK FOR A SHORT TIME -- IT'SLIKEANYTHING IT IS A SLOW BLEEDBELIEVEIT OR NOTOWNER OF CAFE FINADOMINIC MERCURIO SAYSAT THE SAME TIMEPRICES FOR EVERYTHINGFROM BEEF TO BUTTERARE GOING UP AS SUPPLYCHAINS CONTINUE TOEXPERIENCE PANDEMICPRESSURES.MERCURIO AND OTHERSPREDICT MOSTTRAVELERS THIS SUMMERWILL BE DRIVING IN FROMOTHER PARTS OFCALIFORNIA ANDHOPEFULLY STAYING THENIGHT.SMALL HOTELS AND INNSARE FORECASTING 40PERCENT OCCUPANCYDURING THE BUSYMONTHS AND LIKE OTHERBUSINESSES -- THEY'RETAKING SAFETYSERIOUSLY.AMY HERZOG 328 AFTER ARESERVATON IS MADE A LETTER GOESOUT TO THAT GUEST LETTING THEMKNOW THEY ARE EXPECTED TO HAVETO BE RESPONSIBLE WHEN THEYCOME VISITTED BALESTRERI WITHCANNERY ROW COMPANYSAYS GETTING HOTELSBACK TO FULL CAPACITYIS KEY -- BECAUSE FULLHOTELS MEAN FULLRESTAURANTS BARS ANDBOATS.TED BALESTRERI 19:36 SO WE GOTHURT THE BIGGEST AND BY FAR THEHARDEST THAN ANY OTHER INDUSTRYAND IT HURT THE PEOPLE THAT YOULEAST WANT TO HURT THOSE WHOHAVETHE LEAST STAYING POWER SO IT ISVERY IMPORTANT FOR THEHOSPITALITYBUSINESS TO COME BACK ALL BOATSWILL RISE WHEN THE RESTAURANTSANDTHE HOTELS ARE DOING WELL 19:53THE COUNTY ISASKING ALL TRAVELERSTO WEAR FACECOVERINGS WHEN THEYENTER BUSINESSES ANDTO DO THEIR PART TOKEEP SIX FEET DISTANCE.AND THECONVENTION ANDVISITORS BUREAU HASLAUNCHED A TRAVELRESPONSIBLY CAMPAIGN