Omaha Tourism Looking to Rebound From Pandemic

Omaha Tourism Looking to Rebound From Pandemic

ITS EVENTS "WE ARESEEN AS A MIDWESTERNDESTINATION FOR FAMILYGETAWAYS." BUT ONCETHE PANDEMIC HIT,THOSE FAMILYGETAWAYS, ALONG WITHEVERYTHING ELSE, CAMETO A HALT, LEAVING THECITY AT A LOSS."WHEN THEY THINK OFOMAHA, THEY DON'TTHINK OF US AS ATOURISM DESTINATION,WE'RE NOT A BEACHTOWN, WE'RE NOT AMOUNTAIN TOWN, BUT ITHINK EVERYONE HAS ACLEAR INDICATION NOWOF WHAT HAPPEN WITHTOURISM IN OUR CITYDISAPPEARS." DEBORAHWARD, OF VISIT OMAHAPOINTS TO THIS CHART.IT SHOWS HOW MUCHCOVID CHANGEDTHINGSFROM LAST YEAR,THE NUMBER OFMEETINGS AND EVENTSIN THE CITY ARE DOWN77%, AND THE OVERALLECONOMIC IMPACT OFTHOSE THINGS IS DOWN66% WHICH DIRECTLYIMPACTS JOBS "WE GOTCLOSE TO 18,000 OF OURFRIENDS FAMILY ANDNEIGHBORS WHO WORKIN THE TOURISM FIELD,AND THEY'VE PROBABLYSUFFERED THE MOSTBECAUSE A LOT OF THEMARE WITHOUT A JOB,THEY'VE EITHER BEENFURLOUGHED OR LAIDOFF." "THE HOTEL ANDLODGING INDUSTRY HASREALLY TAKEN ASUBSTANTIAL HIT." CHRISDECKER, AN ECONOMICSPROFESSOR AT UNO, ISREFERRING TOOVERNIGHT VISITATIONBEING DOWN 38% ANDHOTEL REVENUE DOWN55% FROM LAST YEAR SOHOW DOES THE TOURISMINDUSTRY GO ABOUTBRINGING PEOPLE BACK,IT STARTS WITHCREATIVE MARKETING TOLOCATIONS NOT FARFROM OMAHA "PEOPLEWILL LOOK FORSHORTER TRIPS, LESSEXPENSIVE TRIPS TOTAKE, AND OFTEN TIMESTHAT BENEFITS THESMALLER LOCAL VENUESMORE THAN, THELARGER DESTINATIONSLIKE PARIS OR MUNICH."DECKER REMAINSOPTIMISTIC TOURISM ANDTHE ECONOMY WILLIMPROVE IN 6 TO 8MONTHS AND VISITOMAHA SAYS THINGS ARESLOWING IMPROVINGNOW, INCLUDING WHENIT COMES TO HOTELS"WHEN YOU LOOK ATHOTEL OCCUPANCYOVER THE LAST COUPLEOF WEEKENDS, ABOUT 65TO 75 OF ALL OF THEROOMS IN DOUGLASCOUNTY ON THEWEEKEND HAVE BEENFILLED." IN OMAHA JOHNMADDEN 3 NEW NOWVISIT OMAHA SAYSRESTAURANT TAXREVENUE IS ALSO DOWN24 PERCENT FROM LASTYEAR, SAYING THAT HASTO DO WITH THE LACK OFTOURISTS, AND LOCALSNOT GOING OUT TO EATAS MUCH.