Holiday weekend sparks return of high foliage traffic

Traffic going in and out of Woodstock Village on Route 12 near Billings Farm, Saturday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Fall foliage traffic has surged to levels the New England region hasn’t seen for two years. The holiday weekend of Oct. 9-11 was of course the catalyst for this, but in many places, the crowds continued into the week. 

In Woodstock, Vermont, the downtown crowds quickly gathered, filling restaurants, stores and village sidewalks. Courtney Lowe, president of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, said the very busy weekend continued what’s been a strong leisure travel market since June. The resort is seeing more elderly couples now, since many switched their reservations from 2020. 

“There’s a pretty large migration of reservations coming from last year to this year, so that did fill us up pretty quickly in this time period,” Lowe said. 

Another theme: The bus tours are back, and are adding to the crowds in a big way. That’s a large part of the pent up demand bringing the huge surge in traffic throughout the week. 

“People want to get out and about,” said Jeff Kahn, owner of the Unicorn. “The number of bus tours has doubled, tripled, from most recent years.” 

Overall, Kahn said he’s seen repeat visitors, but also travelers who are coming to Woodstock for the first time — and lots of each. 

“Forty-three years in, I never expected to still be working 7 days a week, but this week it was required,” he said. 

Kim Smith, co-owner of 37 Central Clothiers and the Red Wagon Toy Co., said it was a super busy weekend, and a popular one for ice cream. Smith runs Woodstock Scoops, an ice-cream pop-up shop, just across the street from her stores.

“It was just a beautiful weekend, and we sold lots of maple creemees,” she said. 

In a sign of business looking up, Lowe said the resort has seen an increasing number of people booking over the long term, into next summer and fall. 

“It helps you build a base for the following year,” Lowe said. “I feel like every inn, every lodging business in Vermont, has been extremely busy this whole time period."

— Gareth Henderson

Fall colors, welcome back

Early fall foliage as seen from Cloudland Road in Pomfret, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

On the heels of that first rush of cool autumn, here come the colors. In Vermont, the fall foliage is popping up everywhere — and it's one week early, experts say. 

It's a visual breath of fresh air, to see the mountains light up with reds, oranges and yellows. Though it marks the end of summer, many might be ready for fall after the brutally humid days many experienced in New England this year. Already I hear many conversations of baking for the upcoming season — we all know about those apple creations, and many others. That late-afternoon cup of tea will increasingly make its appearance, too, as those temps drop to autumn lows.

Not so fast, though. This weekend, everyone's getting outside to catch that last gasp of summer, with temperatures in the 70s throughout the region. It's a time to not only enjoy the beauty of our natural surroundings and attractions, but to do what we can to support local businesses, many of which need every bit of income as the fall season revs up. For that reason, it was a good feeling to head through downtown Woodstock and see lots of traffic on Saturday. Hopefully that continues here and throughout other nearby states, with of course the need to follow the state and local restrictions in place to keep everybody healthy. 

As with every season in 2020, this one will look different in many respects. Numerous big events are cancelled, and other traditions are also off the table. But there are still ways to enjoy this time of year, connect with others, and sustain a sense of community, including showing kindness to one another, even amid challenges. If we’re determined to do that, nothing can take away that great feeling we have when adding to the world’s good, and sharing it with others so they can benefit, too. That approach to community is a powerful force — one that makes any season brighter.

— Gareth Henderson

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

Travel restrictions to loosen

Vermont plans to ease travel restrictions next week as the hospitality sector continues to struggle under the network of rules meant to counter the pandemic. 

Effective on Wednesday, counties from seven more states will be included in Vermont’s quarantine-free travel policy, Gov. Phil Scott announced Friday. Currently, the policy lifts the 14-day quarantine requirement for travel to and from counties in New England and New York with less than 400 active cases of COVID-19 per one million residents. Next week, that will expand to include counties below this threshold in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

“Our hospitality sector and the thousands of jobs it provides Vermonters has been one of the worst hit by this pandemic, and even as we’ve reopened, it hasn’t been enough to help them make ends meet or put all of their employees back to work,” Scott said in a statement. “With this data-based approach to determine low-risk counties, we can welcome more people to Vermont and support these jobs while continuing to limit the spread of the virus in Vermont.”

Throughout the spring, the governor has continued to loosen restrictions as Vermont’s COVID-19 data continues to be favorable to reopening, despite two small clusters of new cases in Rutland and Windham Counties. A recent outbreak in Winooski now appears to be under control. Despite that, the Scott administration has still been cautious heading into travel season amid the growing number of cases throughout the country.  

Moving forward, the biggest need for hospitality establishments is for restrictions to be eased while allowing for travelers from major markets to safely come to Vermont. Within that, they need travel to flow freely again between Boston and New York City - the two biggest providers of tourism for the state. Clearly, restrictions are preventing that as the pandemic is still with us, but both of those urban markets have made steady progress against the coronavirus, and New England is heading in the right direction. With continued collaboration and support among the states, this positive trend is set to continue. Together, we await more progress in the weeks to come. 

— Gareth Henderson

Edging forward

As Vermont continues reopening efforts, some parts of the tourism sector will see increased allowed capacity for customers next week, but the lodging industry saw no changes to its restrictions in the state's Friday announcement. 

Effective June 26, restaurants, as well as event, arts, culture and entertainment venues, can go from 25 percent of allowable capacity to 50 percent. That percentage is based on fire occupancy limits. The updated restrictions also include maximum gathering sizes of 75 people for indoor events and 150 people for outdoor events.

Gov. Phil Scott and other officials acknowledged that many businesses in the tourism sector are barely surviving, and some lodging establishments are worried about bankruptcy.  

"We realize the incredible burden this sector has taken on, and we are working diligently to open things up as fast as we can," said Lindsay Kurrle, the state's commerce secretary. 

The past six weeks have seen increasing calls on the state by lodging establishments to provide assistance to help their operations survive the pandemic. For many of these businesses, including restaurants and others, partial allowed capacity has been inadequate to make ends meet, especially after weeks of quarantine regulations that were only recently relaxed. This is especially important during the summer, the season that normally yields the most income for this sector. Each time a crowded weekend goes by at partial capacity and limited guest numbers, lodging businesses lose many thousands of dollars, which is hard to recup. 

With July 4 rapidly approaching, the whole tourism sector is hoping for a solid weekend, which they desperately need. Between now and then, we'll be looking for good news for lodging establishments, which form the business hub of many downtowns. Communities need these and other tourism-related operations to do well, this year more than ever. The reopening has been promising for the most part, and as the state looks to keep that going, we cheer on our local tourism sector and support those businesses as much as we possibly can. They employ local people, help keep our downtowns vibrant, and have close ties to local nonprofits. Hopefully, further news will speed the recovery of this sector, a key part of our economic heartbeat.

— Gareth Henderson

Rules loosen for dining, travel

Scenic vistas like this one along High Pastures Road in Pomfret draw visitors to Vermont every summer. The state is loosening travel restrictions. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

It's been a long way up the coronavirus mountain, and Vermont continues to make progress on reopening while heading down the other side of it.

Starting Monday, restaurants get the go-ahead for indoor dining with restrictions, Gov. Phil Scott announced at a press briefing. The rules install a 25-percent capacity limit and six-foot distancing between tables. Bars will remain closed, reservations are required, and cleaning protocols are outlined in the governor’s order.

Despite this expected good news, many restaurants remain in dire financial straits amid the pandemic. 

"I know we've still got a long way to go to get our restaurants back on their feet, and I know they can't make it on 25-percent capacity, but we've got to start somewhere, and we'll be able to build on this if the numbers move in the right direction," Scott said. 

Along with the dining announcement, the state also said travel restrictions will be eased as of Monday. The state will allow people living in counties in New England and upstate New York, that have 400 or fewer active COVID-19 cases per one million residents, to come to Vermont without a quarantine requirement. Vermonters will also be able to travel to those places without a quarantine. That said, Vermonters must still follow the rules of other states when traveling to those areas. Also in Friday’s update, the capacity limit on lodging establishments and campgrounds was raised from 25 to 50 percent.

The governor also said health officials are confident that, with the state's solid testing capacity, they can contain a recent outbreak in Winooski and stop it from spreading to the rest of the city or state. Vermont on Thursday confirmed 34 new COVID-19 cases in that city after weeks of seeing few new cases. Outside of Winooski, the same day saw a total of two other confirmed cases statewide. 

Scott acknowledged that some will be worried about loosening these restrictions at the same time as the situation in Winooski.

“I recognize this is a lot to absorb ... but I want to be clear, each of these steps is done working with the guidance of our health experts,” Scott said. He noted that firmer restrictions earlier in the spring gave the state time to build up its testing capacity, which it did. 

Indeed, it was a difficult time to take in the news of a spike in cases, but it appears cautious leadership is paying off for Vermont, not only health-wise but also in downtowns. With the beautiful weather and the gradual loosening of restrictions, for example, Woodstock Village was busier on Friday than I’ve seen it in some time. As more retail shops and restaurants open, we will see that activity increase statewide as customers see the economic ecosystem beginning to revive. Tourism will gradually trickle in as word gets out about the relaxed restrictions. As economic activity increases, positive signs of community and solidarity around progress will have the opportunity to flourish. Let’s take those steps together while being kind, compassionate and loving — in other words, while being Vermont Strong. 

— Gareth Henderson

Saving summer tourism

The summer tourism season was a key topic at Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s press briefing on Wednesday, as the state faces mounting pressure to reopen related sectors as they struggle to survive.

Restaurants were front and center, and Scott aims to unveil a plan on Friday to restart indoor dining as pandemic recovery efforts continue. Key COVID-19 metrics continue to show good signs for Vermont, almost two weeks after the governor gave the green light to outdoor dining. He cautioned that the indoor-dining plan would be gradual, starting with restrictions like social distancing. 

At the same time, the state is working on a plan to allow out-of-state visitors without a quarantine - something businesses badly need to make money in these warmer months. Officials are also looking at ways to increase capacity at lodging establishments and campgrounds, Scott said, adding he knows many businesses are barely making it by. Hotels, motels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts remain under a 25-percent occupancy limit and tight restrictions.

“We’re doing all we can to open up as much as we can, as safely as we can,” Scott said. 

A $400 million relief package announced in mid-May by the governor, and funded by federal CARES Act money, remains under discussion by the Legislature, who also face pressure to act quickly.

With each passing week, that pressure builds throughout the state and the New England region as businesses and nonprofits look to survive, with limited options to do so. The situation is different in each state, but in this region most pandemic-related metrics are pointed in the right direction, and hopefully Friday arrives with more good news. That said, the time of need is still with us, and anything we can do to help our neighbors, businesses and communities is a step we need to take. 

— Gareth Henderson