Marian Moskowitz

This has no doubt been a strange and challenging year for our local businesses. The coronavirus pandemic has put many of our plans on hold and reshuffled our priorities to keep our economy afloat. At the county level, we quickly got to work to help our businesses by coordinating with the Chester County Economic Development Council in setting up the Main Street Preservation Grant programs which provided $15 million to our small businesses and our agricultural community to help ease some of the pain. We also developed the Restore Chester County website, along with our terrific county partners, to provide businesses with the tools they need to open and operate safely.

As we head into 2021, I am inspired by the unique new ways our businesses have adapted to the pandemic society. The pandemic has forced many businesses out of their comfort zone to try new techniques and find new ways of operating to help promote social distancing and less contact. I am incredibly hopeful that in a postpandemic world we can learn from these new techniques and provide a better and more efficient way of doing business in Chester County. As a business owner, I am incredibly proud of all our small business owners who are desperately doing everything in their power to keep operating.

Michelle Kichline

The business community in

Chester County came together in 2020 to support each other and their workers. We saw sacrifices, resiliency and innovation to meet the challenges of the pandemic. The hospitality, restaurant and Main Street retail businesses have been particularly impacted this year, and this has been a financial challenge for many workers in those industries. The roll-out of the vaccine provides hope for many, but the virus and its challenges will impact businesses well into 2021. In addition, it will change the footprint of how businesses will be physically located. Fortunately, the demographics and physical infrastructure of Chester County has proven to be the type of location that the post pandemic world is seeking. We as a county need to work with our private sector to bridge the gap needed to keep our current businesses and attract new businesses. Finally, given that our smaller retail businesses and restaurants have formed a successful backbone of our town renaissance, we need to continue to find ways to support them during what will continue to be a challenging first quarter of 2021.

Mike Bowman

President & CEO, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board

The year 2020 has challenged, tested, and humbled us in ways we couldn’t possibly have imagined.

Montgomery County, specifically the hospitality sector, was one of the first — and hardest hit — areas in the state by COVID-19, and the ripple effects of hundreds of canceled events, thousands of lost room nights, and jobs, hurt a lot of people.

Tourism is normally a key economic driver in Montco, contributing $1.65 billion in positive impact, and more than 20,000 jobs. This industry stimulates — and benefits — many businesses, towns, and communities.

Our tourism and hospitality industry has been bent, yes, but not broken. And, it will bounce back. Because true strength and resiliency develops in surviving a crisis.

In Montco, we’re more than just strong. We’re tough. We endure hardship. We overcome adversity.

History repeats itself. And, bad times are almost always followed by good ones. Much like the Roaring Twenties, people need to socialize. They want to celebrate. The key will be promoting restaurants, arts and culture, and diversity and inclusion using technology and communication like never before.

To support our hotels, we’ve got to sell our destination differently with virtual tours through Montco 360, revamp the #MakeItMontco Experience, and provide tools to planners with Montco Wellness for Events.

The only way forward for our industry is to come together, and rise above. To advocate for our members, partners and community as best we can to reinvigorate a strong economic impact that benefits jobs, and the entire region.

Because we believe in this destination. And, we’re not giving up.