NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WBEN) - Even though a vaccine for COVID-19 is on the horizon, don't expect tourism in Niagara Falls to immediately bounce back in 2021.
Tourists to Niagara Falls previously spent more than $700 million in the years prior to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, tourism dollars were a fraction of what they were beforehand. Though the vaccine is on the way, officials said it will take a few more years before tourism numbers reach the 2019 peak.
"I think it's starting to calm some nerves to see that there is some sort of timeframe for the distribution for the vaccine," Destination Niagara USA President and CEO John Percy told WBEN.
Next summer, Destination Niagara USA expects 60 to 70 percent of 2019 domestic travelers to return to Niagara Falls to occupy hotels and spend their money on businesses.
"By 2022, you'll have a full recovery on the domestic side," Percy said. "And I think that's the country overall."
International travelers are another story. Percy expects a full recovery of international travelers as early as 2022 and as late as 2024.
"If international feels comfortable with vaccines and we're moving forward, we might see a quicker rebound than what they're projecting," Percy said. "Markets are very resilient. International markets are more resilient than even the domestic market. They have a tendency to want to travel even more so, especially from countries like the UK or Germany. They're very resilient."
Canadian tourists spent at least $59 million in Niagara Falls in 2018, according to data from Destination Niagara USA's 2019 report. Chinese, Indian, and other tourists added another $6 million.
The City of Niagara Falls hopes for a quick rebound in tourism, though Mayor Rob Restaino shared similar expectations as Percy regarding a timeline. Tourism generated nearly $50 million in local tax revenue in 2018. However, the loss of tourism meant the city lost out on nearly $5 million.
"As we get more and more people to trust and to participate in getting the vaccine, we'll put ourselves in a position where hopefully we can get the border open," Mayor Restaino said. "...We do anticipate that 2021 will be better than this current year."
Restaino highlighted projects that are in the works to transform Niagara Falls. This includes the removal of the Robert Moses Parkway, North End Bridge District, South End Gateway project, and improvements to the hospitality sector.
"All of those district improvements remain, sort of, on the drawing board," Restaino said. "We were a little slowed by the pandemic and the ability to do certain things, but I think ultimately as we progress in those things, we'll be able to project in a lot of our advertisement of our community a new Niagara Falls."
