Dubuque firm centered on tourism and journey prepares for a lot busier summer time

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – Midwest Bus Trips is a Dubuque company usually known for driving groups of people to large events like causes and sports games.

Aaron Rainey, who owns the company, said he expected 2020 to be the biggest year yet for Midwest Bus Trips. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans.

“We had 120 trips planned for this year, but we ended up doing three trips, which of course ruined our business,” said Rainey. “I’m not sure how I did it, but we did it and here we are.”

However, this year he’s ready to pick things up again as tourism is expected to pick up again. For this reason, the Midwest Bus Trips will soon be launching local tours: one tour takes travelers to the Field of Dreams movie website in Dyersville, another visits the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and Eagle Point Park, and the third is a two-hour historical tour Tour of Dubuque.

Rainey said he was optimistic about what tourism would look like this year.

“From what we’ve heard from hotels, reservations are increasing,” said Rainey. “We get calls, we sell tickets to our events, which in turn means to me that people are ready to come out and prepare to open things and do things.”

Rainey said they will follow safety guidelines on the buses, including plumbing, and that they have also upgraded the bus air filtration system.

When it comes to whether people have to wear a mask on the buses, Rainey said he will obey anything the city of Dubuque dictates.

Copyright 2021 KCRG. All rights reserved.