Page 36 - BusinessWest March 31, 2021

versations I’ve had with people, they’re ready to travel, they’re ready to get out, but they’re also ready to have someone else do that for them. People are like, ‘I just want to go on a tour; tell me where to go, make it easy for me, and take me there.’ That’s our business model. It just makes sense to be ready when the environment is ready for us.”
That moment isn’t far away, Warren added. “People are ready, and we want to be here to help the restaurants and attractions capture that busi- ness while they’re here.”
“Every single bus that comes in may need 20 or 25 overnight rooms, then you have 20 to 25 dinners at different restaurants, attraction tickets ... one bus
is really a big impact on the economy.”
Jonathan Butler, president and CEO of 1Berk- shire, noted in a message to that organization’s members last week that sentiment around travel is starting to turn in a way that promises to ben- efit Western Mass.
“A year ago at this time, we were headed into two or three months of lockdown where nearly all economic activity ceased. A year later, we’re
mostly headed in the other direction,” he said. “Vaccinations are finally beginning to add up, public-health metrics have improved, and state- wide capacity and operating restrictions continue to be eased on an almost-weekly basis. Out-of- state travelers from neighboring states are now only subject to travel advisories, and within the next couple weeks, even those should continue to be relaxed.”
Sensing a changing tide, Butler noted, organi- zations like Tanglewood and Jacob’s Pillow (see story on page 39) both recently announced a return to live performances for the upcoming sea- son, and will be joined by other institutions like Barrington Stage Co., Berkshire Theatre Group, and Shakespeare and Co. in bringing performing arts — and, in turn, visitors — back to the region.
“When you combine this exciting news with the continued momentum of the outdoor rec- reation economy, and our other major cultural properties operating closer to full capacity — now having a year under their belt in learning how to best operate during this pandemic — 2021 starts to feel far more exciting than a year ago.”
Taking the Long View
As director of Sales for Hampton Inn Chi- copee/Springfield, as well as president of Hamp- ton Inns of New England, Warren has her finger on the pulse of hospitality in the region, as does Amaral, an assistant professor of Management
at Bay Path University who also runs Events by Gillian LLC, specializing in event management and consulting, and whose past event experience includes stints at the Eastern States Exposition, MassMutual Financial Group, Enterprise Rent-A- Car, and the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The third ‘chic’ in their new enterprise’s name is, well, hospitality itself, represented by the image of a pineapple. And they feel like Western Mass. has become more of a household name in tour- ism and hospitality — with the potential for an even broader reach.
“A lot of the tour operators that have been bringing groups here would just use this as a stopover because they’re from all over the coun- try, and a lot of them just think of Boston and the Cape,” Warren said. “But they’re starting to think of Western Mass., too, and wanting to do things to add on, to offer new and fun ideas for their clients and keep them coming back.
“There are so many great things they can do right here,” she went on. “We can keep them here for a couple of days and reap the rewards, and have their clients leave here happy and wanting to come back.”
Amaral said the two of them have talked about building a business around this concept for years, and felt like this was the right time — even during a pandemic.
“We felt like there was a need. People would come to the Massachusetts area and always go straight to Boston, but what about us here in Western Mass.?” she asked. “Fast-forward to a pandemic we’re almost out of, and we thought, this is the time for us to be positioned for the influx of travel that will come with group tours.”
With their deep knowledge of the region’s tourism industry, she added, they’re able to craft itineraries tour operators can sell to clients, and it’s not too soon to start making those connec- tions, even when the
economy isn’t fully
opened up.
Continued on page 38
Tourism
schedule a tour
TIME TO GET YOUR GROOVE BACK!
CLEAN | SAFE | HEALTHY
Spring into the season with us! We provide members with both a virtual and in-person fitness experience through our personal training services, state-of-the-art equipment, a variety of group fitness classes, customized health programs and much more.
Complimentary Safe Start appointments are available so that you can see all of the cleaning and safety protocols first-hand.
To schedule a tour, visit:
www.healthtrax.com
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MARCH 31, 2021
TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
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