LaFortune

This time the sector that was hit extremely hard was the hotel industry and the hospitality sector. In 2019, San Jose saw 6.3 million overnight visitors. In 2020, that number was 2.8 million and in 2021, we’re expecting 2.7 million. And I think it will take several years to get back to those 2019 numbers.

Q

How does the significant decrease in visitors and tourists impact the Bay Area as a whole and the people who live here?

A

As an organization (at Team San Jose), our main goal is to generate revenue for the city and the better we do, we can really help out the community. A steep decline in overnight stays means that first of all, the hotels are lacking in revenue. The less revenue that they receive, the fewer people they

A

our convention center and theaters. One thing that did not help cards or a COVID test The 14%-15% hotel tax California in any way is within the past three days. that someone pays as part of the that it was the last to receive Those rules go until Oct. 1, and local tourism tax is how we fund any meeting and convention then we’re supposed to be able our work. guidelines on how to open, when to drop all restrictions.

to open and what the capacity

Q Q

How do you think the pandemic limits would be. We were the The pandemic has hit the will affect large last in the nation to receive this tourism industry harder corporate events and conventions kind of guidance, so that puts than most. Can you find any silver that were popular in San us at a huge competitive disadvantage livings?

Jose and Silicon Valley pre-pandemic? because our clients look

A elsewhere. Instead, they look at I think a silver lining of

states that are actually open or this whole pandemic is

A

Most large events — like have a guideline that they can just taking away that we can be those with more than 5,000 go by, telling them when and more community-minded than attendees — are booked two to how they will be allowed to have we ever were. During this time, three years in advance, so that’s their event. we really turned our marketing not going to come back right toward a local or regional approach.

Q

away. Our clients have indicated Now that you have finally Whereas before we tried they will come back eventually. received those guidelines, to get patrons to come from outside But I think first we’ll start seeing what are they telling you as far the area or outside of the hybrid events where half of as large events? state, we knew that wasn’t really the event is streaming and half going to happen for a while. So

A

is gathering but not in masses The big date we’re looking we really pushed local and regional and smaller, self-contained toward is June 15. Come marketing, such as promoting meetings within a hotel. that date, large venues, such as an overnight stay for a

our convention center and the family from Gilroy. That’s a big

Q

Are there any unique factors theaters that we manage, can change that we didn’t do in the can employ, which hurts the that you feel really open up with a mask mandate past and we want to continue to area as a whole, and there’s a decrease hurt the tourism industry here but also with 5,000 attendees or do that in many ways as part of in taxes going to the city, in California as a result of the less. If there are over 5,000 attendees, our goal to be more communityminded. which means less funding for pandemic? they have to show vaccination