Labor Day weekend business was strong for tourism throughout Maine, but many businesses cut back hours or lost revenue due to staffing shortages, according to a survey by the Maine Tourism Association.
Of the members responding to the survey, 40% said business was better than a normal, non-pandemic year like 2019. Another 29% said business was 75% to 100% of normal. Only 8% said business was less than half of that of past holiday weekends.
“It’s been a challenge for tourism businesses that are working so hard to make up for 2020’s losses. They are limited, not by the lack of visitors, but by a lack of staff,” the Maine Tourism Association’s CEO Tony Cameron said. “Millions in tourism dollars could be added to Maine’s economy … if only there were more workers available.”
Members were asked about the effects that staffing shortages continue to have on their businesses and could choose more than one answer. Just over a third, 36%, said they have reduced business capacity such as room or table closures or cutting back on tours or other services, while 28% have reduced hours or days of the week of operation. Staffing shortages were causing 38% of respondents to lose revenue. Only 7% said they would close earlier than normal for the season.
Two-third of the respondents reported that their business is being affected in some way by increases in COVID-19 cases and the delta variant.
More than half, 55%, predicted that the fall season would be better than usual and another 20% believe it will be about the same as normal, pre-COVID, years. Only 25% said fall business would be worse.