As places begin to reopen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, commerce and travel in Chautauqua County is expected to increase drastically from the year prior. At the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce’s Tuesday Talks series, Andrew Nixon, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau executive director, outlined some of the ways the county has struggled since the beginning of the pandemic, and some of the ways they are looking to reopen and recover.

Nixon noted the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic were tourism, the arts, and entertainment businesses. But as travelers look to get back out for the summer, Chautauqua County will be one of the premier spots for people to go. “The summer of 2021 promises to be an improvement over last year,” Nixon said. “Travelers are seeking comparatively safe, rural destinations to go.”

Chautauqua County has many advantages as a destination for travel. On top of having that safe, rural atmosphere people may be desiring more heavily, the lodging for people to stay in isn’t scarce, and there are several different things for people to do.

“That’s an advantage in the area as well,” Nixon said. “There are many condos, cottages, vacation homes, and suites that are filling up quickly and reporting higher than usual levels of bookings.”

Citing an increase in outdoor activity because of the pandemic, Nixon said that the amount of lakes in Chautauqua County give people what they’re looking for in a destination spot. “Something we have an advantage with is our lakes. A lot of parts of this region have outdoor activities, but we have five lakes, including Western New York’s largest inland lake, and 45 miles of Lake Erie shoreline,” Nixon said.

“This will be incredibly popular for boaters, swimmers, and people who just want to be on or near a lake. From studies we’ve done in the past, lakes are utilized by a high percentage of visitors to the area.”

Chautauqua County also features several historical and cultural sites, such as the Chautauqua Institution, the National Comedy Center, the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Dunkirk Lighthouse. The natural destinations also go beyond the lakefront, including several golf courses, the Audubon Nature Center, Peak and Peak, and Panama Rocks.

“People will be hungry to do things they haven’t done in a while,” Nixon said.

Nixon said that the opportunity for out of state visitors is key now that travel restrictions are being lifted. While Nixon said locations will most likely not have their normal bookings from Southern Ontario, county sites must continue to focus on people within the two- to four-hour driving radius, citing the vaccine and natural immunity to COVID-19 that people have developed, as well as places having the experience of dealing with these regulations.

“Most area tourism and hospitality have a full year of experience operating under COVID-19 limitations, and they have become more effective at it,” Nixon said. “This helps increase consumer sentiment and trust.”

While most places will be operating at limited capacity due to effects of the pandemic, many places in Chautauqua County will welcome back the influx of travelers and commerce that had been lost over the last year.