Closed border reduces North Country traffic
Restrictions, set to expire Oct. 21, likely will be extended again
Columbus Day is one of the busiest holiday weekends in Lake Placid, rivaled only by Christmas, says James Mckenna, CEO of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in Essex County.
The reason? It coincides with Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday.
“This year, there will be no Canadians,” Mckenna added.
The border between the two countries has been closed since the start of the COVID -19 pandemic in March. Local and elected officials have sought some guidance on what it might take to reopen the border, so far unsuccessfully.
Instead, the closings have been extended month by month, with the latest expiration coming Oct. 21.
“We do not anticipate any change regarding border restrictions on Oct. 21,” said Gar
ry Douglas, president and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce in Plattsburgh. “We fully expect another 30day extension, while we continue to call for a binational reopening plan as well as real consideration of some modest interim adjustments.
“The general consensus is there will be no significant adjustment of the border crossing restrictions before the end of the year,” Douglas added.
In past years, Canadians would come to the North Country to shop, especially for holiday items.
“Normally we would be enjoying substantial grocery shopping by our friends in the run-up to their Thanksgiving, especially for turkeys, which are far more expensive in Canada,” Douglas said Friday. “And then the weekend is traditionally a strong one for crossborder shopping and short holidays.
“We will not only be missing this economic benefit this year but will miss the interaction with our friends and, in many cases, cross-border family,” he said.
In Lake Placid, bookings at area hotels and inns have recovered somewhat after steep drops early in the pandemic. Occupancy taxes were off 78 percent in April and May, but were down just 4 percent in August, Mckenna said.
“So overall, we’re in much better shape than we anticipated back in March and April,” Mckenna said. “We’re also seeing more midweek business.”
North Country resorts also have seen a boost in midweek traffic, as destinations such as the Mirror Lake Inn target families where the parents may be working from home and the children learning from home to pursue those tasks in far more scenic surroundings.
“While not a full replacement, our region has experienced some notable success in attracting people from the Capital Region for staycations in their northern backyard, and our area residents continue to really step up in terms of maximizing support for local restaurants and other small businesses,” Douglas said.
With the winter ski season just around the corner, Mckenna, who observed that the top of Mt. Marcy already had a dusting of snow, hopes East Coast residents who might otherwise fly to the Rockies will instead stay closer to home. And resorts in the Alps and Pyrenees are out of the question; much of Europe remains closed to American leisure travelers.
Many New Yorkers are also barred, at least temporarily, from visiting Vermont, as infection rates in many counties, including Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady, have spiked in recent days.
With infection rates rising elsewhere as well, there’s no sign of a border reopening anytime soon.
“Decisions are made more globally than locally,” Mckenna said. “Based on what I know, I don’t see any quick turnaround.”