Early metrics indicate summer tourism will be off the rails
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Admittedly, there is nowhere to go but up when comparing visitation metrics April ’21 to April ’20. But early indications are Jackson is about to go into beast mode for this summer season.
A year ago, hotels were less than 10% occupied. By June, some had all but closed down altogether. Now look. The Chamber of Commerce’s early peek at the 60-day lodging outlook shows very robust numbers—well over 90% occupancy.
At the airport, flights were practically grounded last April. American and United didn’t land a single plane in April 2020. Delta flights were down to three dozen all month.
Last April, 17,320 people stepped onto the tarmac off a commercial flight to Jackson. That’s up from 516 total last year.
How does that compare to a ‘normal’ April? Well, April 2019 saw 13,970 total deplanements; 2018 had 11,798. In fact, this past month broke all records for enplanements and deplanements at Jackson Hole Airport for April.
At nearby national parks, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park are reporting many lodging facilities and campgrounds are completely booked out. Bridger-Teton National Forest reservations are at an all-time high with many popular camping spots already taken for the summer.
The 2021 Vrbo Trend Report suggests pent up travel energy from 2020 will drive big, big numbers this summer.
Vrbo president Jeff Hurst says, “Families aren’t giving up on travel despite all the canceled vacations in 2020. Once travel returns to pre-COVID levels, travelers plan to go all out.”
Company statistics show 65% plan on traveling more than they did pre-COVID, 44% who had a trip canceled due to COVID plan on rescheduling the same vacation, and 33% are willing to spend more than they traditionally would.
Of the 1,462 vacation rentals around Jackson Hole, every advanced booking indicator is up. Way up.
Some Jackson Hole events are still in the wait-and-see mode. Others are moving forward with a return to normal.
The Teton County Fair is planning for a typical fair including exhibit hall opening, nights shows in the arena, and a full carnival. Music on Main is back in Victor, Idaho. Father’s Day/Crawfish Boil, Jackson Hole Rodeo, Old West Days, Million Dollar Music Fest, and Town Square Shootout are just a few of the major spring/summer events cancelled in 2020 that are coming back online.
Buckle up, buttercup. Summer ’21 in Jackson Hole promises to be of epic proportions.
