BOISE, Texas — Memorial Day 2021 is about two weeks away and as the official start of summer approaches, Idaho's hospitality and tourism industries are ready to make up for a lost summer.
There are many plans and events on the schedule after most COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted across Idaho.
"We've had a good few days, but more than not we've had a lot of rough days," said Bob Batista, the director of Expo Idaho and the Western Idaho Fair.
The past year for Expo Idaho has been a challenge. Because of the pandemic, there were many health guidelines, like crowd restrictions and stay-at-home orders, in place that prevented gatherings. Events and other gatherings, like the Western Idaho Fair, were canceled or postponed.
"It affected us in a lot of different ways," Batista said.
The Western Idaho Fair brings in about $6 million in revenue each year. Not being able to put on that annual event was a big hit for Expo Idaho.
"Our budget right now with the Western Idaho Fair and the Expo Idaho and event center relies on the fair as a big influx of cash into our budget," Batista said.
Many other businesses and groups in the hospitality and tourism-driven industries have felt the effects of the pandemic as well.
Airlines were only allowed 50% capacity and hotel stays were down about 24% compared to the previous year, according to the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Tourism is the third leading industry in the Gem State.
"In a year that was booming to begin with, 2020 could have been the best year yet," said Carrie Westergard, executive director for the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau. "That was a hit for sure."
However, hope is on the horizon. As the state and country have begun to reopen over the past several months, these industries are ready for business.
"The floodgates are opening and people have this pent-up demand for travel and I think it's going to be a strong summer, strong fall and early winter," Westergard said.
Expo Idaho is one of the businesses in the local hospitality industry that is making adjustments to its guidelines. After new guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they are no longer requiring face coverings.
"We're going from zero to 60 in a day because everyone is going, 'We're open. let's get going,'" Batista said.
Expo Idaho has a concert series on the setlist for this summer and the popular Western Idaho Fair is making its return. They've already seen a huge amount of interest from people all over the state.
"We're very excited about that," Batista said. "We're very excited that we're in full gear getting ready for the fair."
The Western Idaho Fair will announce the 2021 lineup at the Grandstand Thursday. They will also launch advanced ticket sales for admission.
The fair will be held Aug. 20 - 29, 2021.
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