Page 14 - BusinessWest June 12, 2023

Lenox at
a glance
Year Incorporated: 1767
Population: 5,095
Area: 21.7 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $9.16
Commercial Tax Rate: $13.03
Median Household Income: $85,581
Median Family Income: $111,413
Type of Government: Board of Selectmen, Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Canyon Ranch, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Kimball Farms
* Latest information available
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT >>
Lenox Looks to Build on Momentum in Tourism
BY GEORGE O’BRIEN
[email protected]
Heading into the high season for tourism in Lenox, Jennifer Nacht didn’t believe this community, home to Tanglewood
and dozens of other popular cultural institu- tions, could do much better than it did last year when it came to filling up rooms at its large portfolio of hotels and inns.
Turns out, she was wrong.
Indeed, a seemingly insatiable appetite on the part of the public for some fun time off away from home, coupled with the relaxing of three-day minimums at many of those lodging facilities, has pushed the numbers even higher, said Nacht, executive director of the Lenox Chamber of Commerce, adding that, in many respects, Lenox started turning the clock back to 2019 last year.
“Last year was so busy,” she said, to the point where she wasn’t sure if 2023 could surpass it, but things are trending that way. “In talking with the inns, everyone is booked; they’re finding that people are waiting a little longer to book, but by Wednesday of the week- end ahead, the inns are getting completely booked up.”
Still, while the inns and hotels, many of the restaurants, and nearly all of the numer- ous outdoor attractions staged a full recovery
in 2022, many of the theaters and galleries continue to make their way back, said Jaclyn Stevenson, director of Marketing and Commu- nications for Shakespeare & Company, which operates on 33 acres in Lenox.
She told BusinessWest that most theaters struggled somewhat last year, with few if any sellouts, as the public was still wary about COVID-19, especially early in the summer.
“We didn’t have terminally light crowds, but the people just weren’t here — it was still a building year for theater,” said Stevenson, who also sits on the Lenox Cultural District Steer- ing Committee. “Visitors were coming back
to the Berkshires — outdoor recreation had a banner year — but a lot of the theaters and music venues still struggled; it didn’t feel like we were fully back to normal and where we wanted to be. It felt like we were at 75%.”
Early indications are that theaters will like- ly improve on last year’s numbers, she said, adding that ticket sales are climbing higher.
“We had a good year in 2022, but it was a rebuilding year,” she explained. “I’m feeling better about 2023 — our ticket-sale numbers are mirroring 2017, which was a good year for us.”
As summer commences, Lenox will look
“In talking with the inns, everyone is booked;
they’re finding that people are waiting a little longer to book, but by Wednesday of the weekend ahead, the inns are getting completely booked up.”
14 JUNE 12, 2023
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