As the COVID-19 pandemic stretched from the spring to the summer, business owners and members of the tourism economy grew concerned: What would happen to the Poconos?
Halfway throughout the season, it has become apparent that while the area has the ability to make it through the tough times, survival may require some changes.
While many people across the country were fearful to travel throughout the spring, that anxiety is easing up for the summer season. Airbnb locations are being booked at an unprecedented rate. Resorts are reopening; trails and parks are welcoming visitors; outlet shopping is taking off again.
It’s almost as if the pandemic is out of sight, out of mind.
Chris Barrett, president and CEO of Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, said summer visitors have been flocking to the Poconos. Many residents have noted numerous “front-platers” — people whose cars have license plates on the front bumper, which Pennsylvania doesn’t require — through Monroe County and the surrounding region as of late, and it looks like business may only pick up in the near future.
“We also saw on our own websites, we saw that the organic search numbers were fairly high, in fact, they were higher than comparable periods last year,” Barrett said. “And that’s without us spending a whole lot on marketing, so we knew that people had interest. They wanted to get out, there was some cabin fever.”
Barrett said site searches are up 16% over last year’s numbers, even with 2019 being a good year for the bureau. Clearly, people are searching for vacation ideas, though they’re avoiding the more common destinations that require air travel due to the potential for infection.
Naturally, that means folks from New York, Philadelphia and the surrounding areas are more than willing to take a trip to the Poconos, as many people are venturing to more secluded, rural destinations.
“During the lockdown period, it was very clear that people were not going to fly domestically, they were not going to fly internationally, they were not going on a cruise, which meant that they were going to drive,” Barrett said. “And they were willing to drive 100-, 200-mile radius away from their homes to see friends and family, and to engage in recreation activities where there’s a large outdoor component so they can social distance.”
Airbnb’s findings support those numbers, with the short-term rental hosting company announcing a near 100% increase in business throughout the Poconos as compared with last year. And its guest data supports Barrett’s statement as well: About half of those guests came from within 300 miles of the Poconos, while two-thirds came from within 500 miles.
For those with second homes in the Poconos, renting the place out through Airbnb can mean extra income, and for the renter, it can mean a better opportunity to socially distance while vacationing. According to a statement from Airbnb, 3 out of 4 surveyed guests said they would be more comfortable staying with their families in a listing as opposed to a hotel with other people. Features like private kitchens and laundry are big draws, too.
An enhanced cleaning protocol has also made guests more comfortable with staying in a rustic Pocono Mountain cabin as well. Airbnb provides a step-by-step cleaning handbook with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “help guests elevate their cleaning practices and prepare their home for guests.”
“We’re perfectly positioned as a destination with the type of activities we have, and the location, the large population centers,” Barrett said.
Barrett said that one standout of the summer of COVID-19 is the availability of short-term rentals, especially in the Poconos. Traffic — which includes not only those from New York and New Jersey, but residents of counties surrounding the Poconos — has jumped over the course of the last few years, placing Monroe and the surrounding regions as a destination of interest. And that has only increased over the past few weeks.
Living in a city means that your chances of running into people increases greatly, and the more people you interact with, the greater your chance to get the virus. The great outdoors provide some distance and privacy for those looking for an escape.
And it’s not just vacationers, either. According to Barrett, the rental market also offers people an option to quarantine in the Poconos, away from the population density of the cities, for longer stretches of time as well.
“If people were in the city and they wanted to get away from the city, they came here, they took a rental for like 30 days and worked remotely from here,” Barrett said.
However, that doesn’t mean that visitors are skipping out on the big-name resorts, and all they have to offer.
“There’s still a lot of interest in the resorts, there’s still a lot of interest in the water parks, there’s still a lot of interest in the Skytop experience,” Barrett said. “There’s still a lot of interest in that even with the events being canceled, like fireworks around the 4th of July in a lot of different areas, a lot of the fairs being canceled and all those things. You’re still seeing people coming into the market and spending.”
Social distancing is easy
Monroe and the surrounding counties have come prepared with plenty of entertainment opportunities that can accommodate mitigation efforts, especially when it comes to the great outdoors. Feel like exploring the state parks, or maybe hitting the trails for a hike? Social distancing should be no problem.
Camelback Lodge and Resort opened June 12 and its indoor water park, Aquatopia, opened June 19. Camelbeach, the largest outdoor water park in Pennsylvania, opened July 1.
According to Shawn Hauver, president and managing director of Camelback Resort, the three-month-long closure forced the resort to rethink its entire guest journey from check-in through check-out.
“We started with the reservation process, staggering arrivals and creating mobile check-ins,” Hauver said. “While people were still in their vehicles waiting, we did temperature scans, advised them of all our protocols, mask wearing and social distancing requirements.”
Upon entrance to the water park, guests, as well as all staff, undergo a quick health scan and receive a wristband identifying that they have passed the health check.
Masks are required everywhere except when seated for dining or on the water park rides and wading pools. Hauver explained that being a water park hotel makes it unique and different in some ways.
“The CDC has always stated that viruses can’t be transmitted through properly treated water and we are under the tightest restrictions in terms of monitoring our chlorination and chemical balancing of water,” Hauver said.
The resort is operating at 50% capacity. Hauver said this has helped keep the lines down and let people adhere to social distancing guidelines.
“We consider it a victory of sorts,” Hauver said. “We can keep our employees employed, continue supporting the local businesses that depend on us directly and indirectly, and being able to support the government though our tax revenue. It is all part of the bigger picture until we can get back to being profitable.”
According to Glenn Cademartori, vice president of marketing, Mount Airy Resort and Casino has experienced record breaking business after the three-month-long closure.
“The first week and a half after opening saw record days probably due to all the penned-up demand from people not being able to get out and enjoy their casino experience,” Cademartori said. “Even since then, we are still enjoying very strong numbers. It is very encouraging to see that even at the 50% capacity level, we are still seeing numbers similar numbers to last years.”
Increase in cases
In the midst of this revival, increased case counts across the state have spurred Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine to institute further restrictions on restaurant capacity, which could deal a significant blow to the industry.
Cafes and restaurants with only 10 tables will be at a particular disadvantage, Barrett said, making it incredibly difficult to turn a profit. That doesn’t mean that those establishments are throwing in the towel just yet, as some have been exploring innovations to make it through the difficulties.
But the current state of eateries leaves owners and workers at a disadvantage, state Sen. Mario Scavello. R-Monroe, said.
“By cutting restaurants to 25%, you’re not helping people, because you’re pretty much closing the restaurant down,” Scavello said. “At 50%, you’re struggling. At 25%, it’s a joke. What the governor did is put another stake in the back of business.”
Scavello predicted that increased crowds in the Poconos could make it difficult to secure a seat at a restaurant, and this may inspire some visitors to cross the state border.
The future holds much uncertainty that will have an impact on the entire economy, including the Poconos’ tourism, Barrett said. Who wins the election, the policies put in place to stimulate the economy, what state and local governments do in regard to the service economy — all these things could have a profound impact on the economic health of the area.
Fortunately, the Poconos have had a strong capability to reinvent themselves over the years, which will help to keep the region alive. Visionary and innovative leadership will be the backbone of the recovery, Barrett said, and with that drive, the Pocono Mountains will make it through summer, fall, winter, spring and beyond.
“It’s always reinvented itself and risen above adversity and thrived, and I’m confident that will happen over time,” Barrett said. “There’s always peaks and valleys, and we have always emerged from those valleys much stronger.”
Pocono Record writer Maria Francis contributed to this story
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