Rafting companies hoping for a busy season ahead with eased COVID restrictions

With covid restrictions lifting, outfitters are seeing signs of a busy season ahead.

HERE IN SOUTHERN COLORADO.WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS LIFTING,OUTFITTERS ARE SEEING SIGNS OF ABUSY SEASON AHEAD.BILL FOLSOM'S LOOKING INTO THEREBOUND,...HE'S LIVE ALONG THEARKANSAS RIVER IN FREMONTCOUNTY.BILL?COVID WAS CAUSING UNKNOWNS ANDSETBACK AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.THIS YEAR THERE IS EVIDENCESHOWING MORE RECENT COVIDFACTORS INFLUENCING A SURGE OFRAFTS ON STRETCH AFTER STRETCHOF THE ARKANSAS RIVER." IT'S NOT COLD, IT'S COLD."A DAD AND DAUGHTER, THEHEFFINGTONS, WITH DIFFERINGOPINIONS ON WATER TEMPERATURE.AND AGREEMENT ON THE FUN FACTOR." A LOF OF FUN.THE RAPIDS ARE AMAZING.GOOD WATER LEVEL IT'S FLOWINGWELL."DOES IT FEEL GOOD TO GET BACKOUT?

YES!

ABSOLUTELY."A YEAR AGO FAMILY TRIPS GOTCANCELLED BECAUSE OF COVID.THIS YEAR THE PANDEMIC ISEASING, THE HEFFINGTONS FEELMORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT TRAVEL...YET LINGERING COVID DIDINFLUENCE THE FAMILY'S TRIPPLANNING." WE ACTUALLY WERE LOOKING FORSOMETHING THAT WAS OUTSIDE.SO WE ARE DOING SEVERAL OUTDOORACTIVITIES" THEY DROVE ALL THEWAY FROM NASHVILLE.CHECK OUT THE OUT OF STATELICENSE PLATES AT RAFTINGCOMPANIES .TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA ARECONSIDERED TYPICAL....THIS YEAROTHERS SHOW WHAT'S CALLED THEDRIVE MARKET IS EXPANDING." I THINK WE CAN OPEN THATCIRCLE UP A LITTLLE WIDER.NORMALLY WE KIND OF CULTIVATTEFROM THE FOUR TO SIX HOURMARKET.CLEARLY WE'RE SEEING PEOLE INTHE EIGHTT TO 12 HOUR MARKET."ANDY NEINAS OWNS ECHO CANYONRIVER EXPEDITIONS.THE COVID IMPACT A YEAR AGO WASMIXED.VISITORS NUMBERS WERE DOWN ONLYTEN PERCENT, BUT REVENUE EVENMORE BECAUSE OF HITS TO FOOD,BEVERAGE AND LODGING." THE PENDELUM IS SWINGING BACKSO TO SPEAK AS FAR AS PEOPLE'SDESIRE TO GET OUT." OUR GUIDE SAID NORMALLY ATTHIS POINT THEY HAVE A THOUSANDBOOKINGS.

THEY HAVE 3,000.BOOKINGS SURGED EARLY THISSEASON.EVERYONE WANTS COVID COMPLETELYGONE.AS IT FADES, IT'S LINGERINGFACTORS ARE INFLUENCING HOW ANDWHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING BACKINTO TRAVEL." WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE, I THINKWITHIN THE BULLSEYE OF WHATAMERICANS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH.THAT NATURALLY DISTANCED OUTDOORACTIVITY COMBINED WITH THE FACTPEOPLE REALLY ARE ITCHING TO GETOUTSIDE."COVID IS NOT BEINGIGNORED....FOR THE COMFORT OFCUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES IF AMASK IS STILL PREFERREDFINE....AND SANITIZING CONTINUESAT A HEIGHTENED LEVEL WATCHINGOUT FOR YOU FREMONT COUNTY, BILLFOLSOM NEWS