BUTTE — The Butte tourism industry got hit hard during the pandemic but with a vaccine on the way, 2021 looks to be a lot more hopeful.
Maria Pochervina, the Director of the Butte Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that 2019 was a great year for the hotels and the hospitality industry, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to the tourism and that great year.
"You know all of that evaporated and didn’t come back. I mean the cancellations for group business conventions just cascaded further and further." Pochervina said.
Now that the vaccine is being distributed, Pochervina hopes that people will start traveling again.
"We’re expecting to have a good summer, probably not back to 2019 levels but better than what it was last year." Pochervina said.
Christine Martin, Curator of the Clark Chateau Museum and Gallery, said that the pandemic impacted their tours, events, and after school programs, but hopes that with the vaccine people will begin to tour the museum once more.
"We miss hosting artist receptions for the gallery and we have the ukulele program and a book club and dance classes along with our after-school programs." Martin said.
