MESA, AZ (3TV / CBS 5) New CDC tour guide encourages Arizona hotels that rely on tourists to keep their doors open. However, it could take business travel months to reach pre-pandemic levels.

READ MORE: CDC: Fully Vaccinated People Can Resume Domestic and International Travel.

Just a stones throw from the Chicago Cubs Spring Training Facility in Mesa are rooms at the Courtyard Marriot that actually offer a peek inside the baseball diamond.

“So Thursday, Friday, Saturday … our hotels were full,” said Kevin Thorpe. “We turned people away.”

Thorpe is the Director of Hotels for the Power Hotel Group, which includes four hotels in the valley. March was decent because of the spring training, he says, but of course not like it used to be.

“Two of our hotels have extensive meeting rooms. There are currently no conventions,” said Thorpe. The 8,500-square-foot boardroom in the Courtyard is empty.

“Business travel went from 40% for the hotel to 5%, 2%,” said Thorpe.

With businesses safe during the coronavirus pandemic, event and meeting revenue dried up almost overnight. Mike Huckins of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce says while the latest news from the CDC is wonderful, he believes that as vaccination rates rise, we will see business travel again.

“You know, I by no means believe that all business trips will return to the state. It was quiet before the pandemic,” Huckins said. “People have learned that they can do something through Zoom, but attending conferences in person certainly has an advantage.”

In Thorpe’s 35 years in the industry, COVID-19 has changed the industry like nothing else. “We were our busiest time of year as of March. We went from 100% to 5% almost overnight,” he said.

According to new statistics from the Arizona Office of Tourism, Phoenix had the highest hotel occupancy rate in the top 25 markets at 77% in the week of March 14th. The agency says this shows “a strong affirmation of the power of spring training to attract visitors.” , even with reduced stadium capacities. “

Below is a statement from the office:

We have encouraged visitors to follow CDC and AZDHS guidelines since the pandemic began, and we will continue to do so. This new guide opens the door to the resumption of travel, which is badly needed, but it is equally important to remember that we only got to this point because people are getting vaccinations and following best health practices to do so for us to continue must stay on this path.

Below is a statement from the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association:

We are excited about the CDC’s recent guidance that fully vaccinated Americans can resume their travels. The safety of our guests and our employees is our top priority. It was and always is. Together with our national partners, the industry has developed guidelines for all aspects of hotels and resorts as part of the AZSAFE + CLEAN certification program. Arizona hotels and resorts are committed to providing guests with a comfortable, relaxing and safe experience. We look forward to welcoming our guests again safely in our unbelievable state.

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