Hotels are facing an uphill battle after losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are hoping restriction easing will allow events to take place soon. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Josh Ryan

Tourism toils

Hotels hope for more pandemic recovery following spring losses

Jul 9, 2020 | 5:32 PM

As many businesses across Saskatchewan continue to see small positives since reopening, the tourism industry remains the hardest hit.

However, there’s some hope that more progress in combating the spread of the coronavirus could slowly bring back some of the business lost from event cancellations.

Hotels have slowly reopened gyms and games rooms and the province’s latest update on the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan allows for the use of conference/banquet rooms, assuming compliance with public health orders. However, it does not allow for morning buffets at and the number of people in games rooms are limited, impacting establishments like the Comfort Inn and Suites in North Battleford.

“We don’t want any more than 10 people in there at one time, our gym we don’t want more than two in there,” Sales and Business Relationship Manager for CCR Hospitality Darin Menagre told battlefordsNOW. The earliest possible date for opening the breakfast buffet is late September, he said.

“It’s probably going to be extended, and that hurts us,” he said.

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The Comfort Inn, and other hotels in the Battlefords, saw substantial losses during the initial shutdown of the pandemic and have operated at lower numbers since; missing out on hosting people travelling for hockey tournaments, dance recitals and other cancelled events. Having every major summer event in the area canceled has hurt in the months since.

“For the month of March alone we had around $235,000 in rooms alone that were cancelled,” Menagre said. “From spring until fall, events are huge. The Battlefords are a pretty good event centre.”

Improvements by June still saw a 56 per cent decline compared to 2019. However, one saving grace has been small traveling groups and work crews in oil, gas and construction. Menagre said it’s given them a work-around on providing pre-ordered breakfast and a better occupancy status than expected.

“We’ve been promoting people take them [breakfast orders] back up to the room or take them in their vehicles when they’re heading out to work,” he said.

Menagre said he thinks they’ll be able to increase for services like the games room in the near future, but until there’s any form of true recovery through events, challenges lie ahead.

“Some curling events are actually going to continue, but then, golf tournaments are canceled,” he said.

What’s encouraging for some is the rallying together of entrepreneurs and leaders throughout the area. Harris Sutherland, Chamber of Commerce president and Gold Eagle Casino senior operations manager, said that engagement has been inspiring.

“Not to sound cheesy or anything, but it’s almost more of a family aspect,” he said. “Where all businesses are starting to look at each other and to each other to support each other, because they know how much the community was impacted by this.”

Since the majority of businesses in town are opening up, though many are in limited capacity, the Chamber is focused on promoting them to the public and other communities, through measures like the things-that-are-open website. Sutherland said there’s also an opportunity to focus on locations like the Jackfish Lodge and Golf and Country Club and promote the outdoor benefits of the Battlefords.

“Having natural attractions actually does bring a lot compared to other communities,” he said. “And that will make us known as a safer place to be, but [also] a more beautiful place to visit.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports