Officials tout condition, region’s opportunity as tourism desired destination

LOWELL — State officials touted the Massachusetts tourism financial system Tuesday at the Higher Merrimack Valley Convention & Website visitors Bureau’s annual Tourism Convention, where by a emphasis was rekindling the tourism marketplace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A ballroom of the UMass Lowell Inn & Convention Heart was packed with condition officials and experts in the Massachusetts tourism field Tuesday early morning, in which they heard from area and state officers, which includes Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, about how the marketplace is faring in a “post-COVID” environment.

Chau touted Lowell as a tourism spot of its very own. He said Lowell must continue doing work to turn out to be a “destination city.”

“The city of Lowell is functioning difficult to develop on our strengths, and extend our operate to make Lowell a destination town, a spot wherever the wealthy history, cultural practical experience, earth class activities and foods and society make men and women want to pay a visit to once again, and all over again,” reported Chau. “Where else can you consume around the entire world in just one working day?”

Driscoll sent the opening keynote remarks, where she stated that Merrimack Valley as a total “has a large amount to offer” as a tourism vacation spot.

“The natural beauty of an genuine put tied to the heritage of so several items that are so good about the founding of our country, a good deal of it started in this location, or the wonderful age of the Industrial Revolution,” claimed Driscoll. “It tends to make for a livable city, it makes for a fantastic place and it will make for a fantastic put to crank out tourism pounds for our commonwealth.”

Even outside of the Merrimack Valley, Driscoll explained, Massachusetts has quite a few areas that are really worth a pay a visit to on their possess, which is a advantage to the condition as a complete.

“Tourism is not about competition. I know we have all of our distinctive areas, but how lucky are we to stay in a commonwealth that goes from the coastline to the elegance of the Berkshires, and you could do it in just one day if you experienced to,” explained Driscoll. “That is a collaborative possibility, not a competitors.”

Driscoll and other individuals noted the severe problem the tourism and hospitality industries confronted as a outcome of the pandemic, from which the market is continue to performing to fully get well.

“It feels like we are nevertheless in a messy transition stage article-pandemic. What is heading to come about with workforce demands? How are we heading to believe about remote perform? What happens with respect to people’s journey behaviors?” mentioned Driscoll. “We have observed a large amount of persons experience that pent up demand to get out of the place they have been, which has been fantastic. How can we choose advantage of that going forward and think about how we can bring innovation and technological know-how into this space?”

Driscoll also mentioned that Massachusetts is not one of the many states passing anti-LGBTQ or anti-abortion legislation, which she claimed could push persons to journey below as an alternative of states that are passing these kinds of regulations.

“When I believe about what is taking place nationally, the amount of divisiveness tied to reproductive freedoms or how persons establish, that is not occurring listed here. We are a beacon for all people, we are a put that welcomes and is effective for all, and tourism and art and tradition are crucial items of that,” explained Driscoll.

The meeting later transitioned to a panel dialogue amongst condition Sens. Ed Kennedy and Paul Mark, condition Rep. Mindy Domb and moderator Charles Stefanini of CS Consulting LLC. The panel of elected officers spanning from Lowell to the furthest factors of Western Massachusetts centered on condition expense in tourism.

During the panel, Kennedy remarked that the tourism and hospitality industries have been impacted by the pandemic “harder than any other sector,” and explained that the condition place in steps to help it in the course of that interval.

“One of the factors we have been able to do is to do absent with the necessity for matching cash for regional tourism councils, so that throughout individuals years they did not have to occur up with matching resources, which was likely to be extremely hard for them,” stated Kennedy. “We ended up also capable to argue successfully for [American Rescue Plan Act] funds for the market.”

All 3 of the elected officers in the panel presently serve in the point out Legislature’s Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Growth. Mark stated that 2023 is likely to be a examination of wherever the business truly stands in a submit-COVID natural environment.

“What we are heading to come across out is if behaviors have changed forever, or was it just a condition of, ‘this is in which we had been and how folks felt secure,’” claimed Mark. “Are there people today that have resolved they just want to sit dwelling and enjoy Netflix?”

Domb mentioned that the pandemic decline of the tourism sector should really make individuals understand how essential it is to Massachusetts.

“Now we identify, if we did not ahead of, how crucial it is to the overall economy,” stated Domb. “I am looking ahead to constructing upon the successes. I imagine that the Legislature has carried out a superior job on that in other factors.”