Like many others, Berea tourism showing signs of recovery

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It’s a small but important industry. And it often is a barometer of how and when an economy is recovering.

So when it shows positive signs, it’s good news for communities.

So news out of Berea is encouraging from its tourism traffic.

There are a few very positive signs that Berea’s tourism economy is recovering from the pandemic, according to recent reports from Berea City Administrator David Gregory and Business Development and Tourism Director Donna Angel.

Some of those developments were discussed at last week’s Berea Tourism Commission meeting, including:

Restaurant tax numbers are better than expected: Revenues for transit room taxes are down in the first quarter as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the city has collected $8,062 so far this year, in comparison to approximately $12,000 at the moment this past year. On the restaurant tax, however, the numbers are actually better than expected, as the town has collected approximately $93,000 during the current fiscal year (July, August, September), compared to $102,000 as of this same time last year, according to David Gregory. That number may go up in the coming months as the city has seen the opening of some new restaurants, including Burger King and Happy Jacks World Sandwich Bar.

Tourism workers are back: Gregory revealed that employees who wished to return to tourism after the pandemic furloughs last spring are actually back at work. Additionally, Gregory said the metropolis is proposing a 1.7 percent cost of living increase for tourism employees. All city wages were frozen during last spring’s budget process due to the uncertainty linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due partly to a bettering budget picture, the commission voted unanimously to simply accept Gregory’s recommendation to implement the 1.7 percent cost-of-living increase.

Buses are returning to town: After almost a year of COVID-19 related uncertainty, Berea is once more drawing motorcoaches back to the city, a thing that had been a growing element of the city’s tourism economy before the pandemic hit. Donna Angel reported that since Connie Mondine was called back to service, bus tours have been coming back to the city in recent weeks. Angel noted that Mondine arranges the tours, and also demonstrators and musicians who perform for visitors if they come to Old Town or College Square.

“She loves what she does and it shows in her work,” Angel said of Mondine. “I believe she needs to be patted on the trunk a lot because she works well with the tour guides. She just makes everyone on the trip feel very, very comfortable.” Angel continued to notice that Mondine is quite diligent to ensure that the visits comply with CDC guidelines for avoiding COVID-19 infection.

On Sunday, a bus tour group was scheduled to go to the city, and lunch at Boone Tavern. In a few days, a tour group is slated to visit from Kingsport, Tenn., and dine at Apollo Pizza in Old Town. Another bus group was tentatively scheduled to go to the last week of October, stopping at the Kentucky Artisan Center, then the Log House Gallery.

Tourists are trying to find Berea on the web: Donna Angel reported that Berea’s tourism online promotion efforts have made an increase in social media engagements for the month of September. Which includes 120,000 engagements on Facebook, 6,289 hits on Twitter, and 33,204 hits on YouTube. Angel noted the town is paying special focus on obtaining the word out about local businesses, especially newly launched ventures. “That credit would go to Megan [Campbell]. She does an excellent job of keeping us alert and mindful of everything going on. I don’t know how she does it, but she does an excellent job,” Angel said of Business Development and Tourism’s communications director.

On a related note, Angel reported metropolis has drawn some positive attention from travel writer J.C. Phelps, of the website Unabashedly Southern, who named Berea among the Top Kentucky Small Towns to go to in 2020. https://jacobcphelps.com/2020/09/28/topsmalltownsky2020 In his write-up, Phelps had special praise for Boone Tavern Inn, the Kentucky Artisan Center, Papa Leno’s, Native Bagel, Berea College Farm Store, and for Noodle Nirvana, which Phelps noted is “…home of the very most delightful yellow curry bowl.”

“‘Yay’ to Mae [Suramek] for recognition there,” said Angel.

Angel noted next Saturday will discover the grand opening of Becky Brown Jewelry, among three new businesses opening in Old Town. That district will soon include a new photo artist’s gallery and a bakery found in what was the Old Town Fudge Shoppe. 
Source: https://www.wtvq.com

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