Summer rolls on
Traffic heads through downtown Woodstock, Vermont, crossing the bridge over Kedron Brook. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
As this unusual summer continues, Vermont is seeing some visitor traffic from tourists eager to head to the Green Mountains, and Woodstock is no different.
In this regional tourism hub, visitors from familiar states are in town, including New York, Massachusetts and other New England neighbors, as well as Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. They’ve come amid a changed environment, under Woodstock’s local requirement to wear face-coverings, and current state-imposed quarantine restrictions for travelers from high-risk areas (see this state map). Though the crowds are smaller, they keep coming in, looking for that respite in the countryside.
Beth Finlayson, executive director of the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce, said the flow of business is not like last year, but certainly better than March and April. With the Woodstock Inn open at a 50-percent capacity limit and some B&Bs open, Finlayson said, she sees more people visiting the area, notably families. Some are visiting just for a day. She noted Billings Farm is open, and Pentangle is starting its Music by the River summer concerts on Friday. The Market on the Green on Wednesdays has been popular, and the Welcome Center on Mechanic Street is seeing more traffic, as well.
“We'll have 30 to 50 people every day, and a good portion are visitors,” Finlayson said of the center’s influx. “Every day, we get someone who wants to rent kayaks, go hiking. There are definitely people coming in.”
At the Woodstock Inn, the numbers haven’t always hit the 50-percent capacity, but a couple of days did sell out, according to Courtney Lowe, the inn’s vice president of marketing and business development.
“We’re doing okay with it, but obviously we need the ability to get more occupancy in there,” Lowe said. “For our industry, you definitely need to be above that 60- to 62-percent on an annual basis. At least this helps for now.”
He added, “We’re seeing our guests really enjoy themselves. They’re sure taking full advantage of the outdoors.”
The inn has seen some cancellations due to the state-imposed restrictions, but Lowe said the inn’s marketing team is working hard to keep their brand prominently before the eyes of potential customers.
“You’re working a little harder to get that small occupancy here for sure, but it’s necessary, too, for the long run,” he said.
While much of the local economy is operating at some level, several smaller hospitality establishments have remained closed for now. Charlotte Hollingsworth, co-owner of The Ardmore Inn in the village, said her four-room bed and breakfast aims to open on Aug. 1. She notes she is 73 and her husband, Cary, is 76, and so during the pandemic they are not rushing to reopen.
“We’d rather stay on the side of caution,” she said. Hollingsworth plans to reopen slowly starting Aug. 1, beginning with just a couple of guests staying and then a couple more coming in once they leave.
Hollingsworth, who is on the board of the Woodstock chamber, has enjoyed seeing more downtown activity.
“It’s really nice to see the village kind of alive again,” she said, noting the impact the Woodstock Inn’s July 1 reopening had, especially on Fourth of July weekend. “We could see a total difference."
Earlier this week, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said the state’s reopening efforts were in a “holding pattern,” due to the surging COVID-19 caseloads in other regions of the country. The governor’s next press briefing is on Friday at 11 a.m.
— Gareth Henderson
