MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Some hotel companies surveyed by the state tourism agency believe they will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, an improvement on the outlook at the end of last year.

Discover Minnesota in a recent report Six out of ten tourism and hospitality businesses had already reached pre-pandemic business levels or expected business to return to pre-pandemic levels before the end of 2021.

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A previous survey found that companies were less optimistic. In December last year, a third of those surveyed said that they could remain solvent for more than three months below the current level Operation restrictions of the time.

Five months later, at the start of the unofficial start of summer, all remaining pandemic requirements – including masking, distancing, and capacity limits – have been lifted and the industry is ready to embark on a recovery.

“With COVID restrictions easing, it hasn’t changed people’s minds about where to vacation,” said Joan Kjorsvig-Beans, co-owner of Jasper Company, a family-run business with a coffee shop and inn in Ely and rental properties along of Jasper Lake near the Boundary Waters. “They feel like there is really good hope for the future. And I think that now that they have discovered Ely, whether COVID is here or not, people will come back.

Kjorsvig-Beans greeted the governor Restrictions on the waiver of executive orders That went into effect on Friday as it looked ahead to the summer the Jasper Company hopes to make up for losses incurred during the shutdowns at the start of the pandemic. However, last summer she said that people were still flocking north to travel and that business was stable.

Interest in traveling to the state and enjoying Minnesota’s nature has increased over the past year, heads of state said because it was a fun and safe activity to do during the pandemic.

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“What we really saw during the COVID-19 pandemic is Minnesotans going outside and going outside in really large numbers,” said Sarah Strommen, commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

After an “unprecedented” demand for fishing and hunting licenses last year, Governor Tim Walz announced on Thursday a Vaccine Incentive Program that includes free fishing licenses and state parks passes for 100,000 Minnesotans getting their shots next month.

There are signs that interest in intra-state travel remains high, Kjorsvig-Beans said. More than 37 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend alone, up 60% from that time last year. according to AAA. Vaccinated people strive to resume travel and life as usual.

“Our Chamber of Commerce is working diligently with all of our properties to help people find a place because they are full,” she said.

But when rooms are fully booked, jobs remain free – especially for the hotel industry– Mirroring a surplus of vacancies across the country. For rural parts of Minnesota like Ely, a laborer Shortage before the pandemic and then was made worse by the virus.

Employment in the leisure and hospitality sectors fell 27% in 2020, compared to an overall private sector decline of 7%. according to state data.

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“We are definitely looking for employees. All of the restaurants and shops here in Ely are, ”said Kjorsvig-Beans. “We’d like a few more people to show up for interviews because we have vacancies.”

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