Smithers tourism is preparing for a bleak summer due to COVID-19.
According to Smithers Deputy Mayor Gladys Atrill, she believes the tourism sector will be the hardest hit by the pandemic.
She added some businesses in the Bulkley Valley rely on international and domestic travel, but the federal government implemented travel bans and closed the border at the beginning of the health crisis.
Atrill said 2020 will be a difficult year.
“For some businesses, it will be a really really hard year and until we can green light regional travel and get the word out where we can talk about domestic travel, further in British Columbia, or province to province, BC to Alberta likely first, it’s going to be really difficult,” she said.
According to Atrill, Smithers is a community where tourism is a significant sector.
She also said tourism is a major part of the community and the loss of tourism dollars will be felt.
“The fact is it’s not going to be here at the same level this year and it is definitely going to have an impact on, from retail, to service sector, to hotels to guide services, it’s just going to have an impact,” she said.
The BC Tourism Resiliency Network has been introduced across the province including the Northwest to help support businesses navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and the eventual recovery.
According to Atrill, this is a great step for businesses and how people can have the one on one support during the health crisis.