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The tourism industry – hit hard by the pandemic –is trying to bounce back. But they are facing new challenges as interest in events and comfort in gathering grows. “The phones are ringing and that’s a good sign,” said Grant Minnix, director of operations at the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem.He said the center saw a strong May and expected events, meetings and other gatherings to fill their calendar this summer and ramp up in the fall. “It’s so important to Winston-Salem. The convention center is right here in the middle of downtown. If we’re busy, all the restaurants and hotels, businesses downtown are going to do well,” Minnix said.The impact of 2020 on the tourism and events industry is still being studied. As it is, industry leaders are reflecting on what’s happened and working to understand where visitors, businesses, tourists and community members are at when it comes to their comfort with gathering again.“We are in a much better position. This is a much different conversation than we would have had a year ago,” said Richard Geiger, president of Visit Winston-Salem, the convention and visitors’ bureau for the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The mission of the organization is to bring tourists, visitors and business to the area.“I’ve been doing this for 40 years and have been through a lot of economic downturns and recessions, 9/11, but I’ve never experienced anything that has devastated, not only the nation but particularly the hospitality and tourism industry than the pandemic.”Geiger said he estimated tourism spending dropped 50% in Winston-Salem during the pandemic. He said as vaccinations rolled out and the state lifted many of its COVID-19 restrictions, the business saw signs of improvement.While things are on the rise, he said, however, hotels, restaurants, venues and other businesses are struggling to find the staff to keep up with the demand. “The demand is there. There is incredible pent-up demand,” he said. “We’ve got to get innovative in getting people back to work in the hospitality industry so these businesses can go back and thrive economically.”Geiger said as people stopped traveling, it impacted the hotel and restaurants and the vendors they contract with, further impacting jobs and taxpayers. He estimated occupancy taxes dropped 40%, cutting funds available for arts programs, nonprofits and other community programs.“We’ve got to get Americans back traveling and people out going to conventions, meetings and sporting events,” he said. “I think we can really spark the economy back again.”For Winston-Salem particular, Geiger said, the downtown is still thriving. Downtown business is tied heavily to the convention center. Benton is a 100,000 square foot facility that serves as a venue for a variety of events from personal parties, to conferences, graduations and more.The center is also renovating an additional space, under the Embassy Suites hotel, adding 35,000 more square feet of space for clients to use. This is believed to be particularly helpful to allow customers who want more room to socially distance to have that opportunity.“We’re well-positioned with bringing convention business back to Winston-Salem,” Geiger said.Geiger and Minnix said plans are already formulating for events in 2022, 2023, 2024 and beyond.
The tourism industry – hit hard by the pandemic –is trying to bounce back. But they are facing new challenges as interest in events and comfort in gathering grows.
“The phones are ringing and that’s a good sign,” said Grant Minnix, director of operations at the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem.
He said the center saw a strong May and expected events, meetings and other gatherings to fill their calendar this summer and ramp up in the fall.
“It’s so important to Winston-Salem. The convention center is right here in the middle of downtown. If we’re busy, all the restaurants and hotels, businesses downtown are going to do well,” Minnix said.
The impact of 2020 on the tourism and events industry is still being studied. As it is, industry leaders are reflecting on what’s happened and working to understand where visitors, businesses, tourists and community members are at when it comes to their comfort with gathering again.
“We are in a much better position. This is a much different conversation than we would have had a year ago,” said Richard Geiger, president of Visit Winston-Salem, the convention and visitors’ bureau for the Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The mission of the organization is to bring tourists, visitors and business to the area.
“I’ve been doing this for 40 years and have been through a lot of economic downturns and recessions, 9/11, but I’ve never experienced anything that has devastated, not only the nation but particularly the hospitality and tourism industry than the pandemic.”
Geiger said he estimated tourism spending dropped 50% in Winston-Salem during the pandemic. He said as vaccinations rolled out and the state lifted many of its COVID-19 restrictions, the business saw signs of improvement.
While things are on the rise, he said, however, hotels, restaurants, venues and other businesses are struggling to find the staff to keep up with the demand.
“The demand is there. There is incredible pent-up demand,” he said. “We’ve got to get innovative in getting people back to work in the hospitality industry so these businesses can go back and thrive economically.”
Geiger said as people stopped traveling, it impacted the hotel and restaurants and the vendors they contract with, further impacting jobs and taxpayers. He estimated occupancy taxes dropped 40%, cutting funds available for arts programs, nonprofits and other community programs.
“We’ve got to get Americans back traveling and people out going to conventions, meetings and sporting events,” he said. “I think we can really spark the economy back again.”
For Winston-Salem particular, Geiger said, the downtown is still thriving. Downtown business is tied heavily to the convention center. Benton is a 100,000 square foot facility that serves as a venue for a variety of events from personal parties, to conferences, graduations and more.
The center is also renovating an additional space, under the Embassy Suites hotel, adding 35,000 more square feet of space for clients to use. This is believed to be particularly helpful to allow customers who want more room to socially distance to have that opportunity.
“We’re well-positioned with bringing convention business back to Winston-Salem,” Geiger said.
Geiger and Minnix said plans are already formulating for events in 2022, 2023, 2024 and beyond.
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