It was a long haul for the tourism industry in Moose Jaw as they were some of the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But there is a renewed sense of optimism since the provincial government fully reopened Saskatchewan on Sunday, July 11. 

“Having everything wide open is going to make the difference for a lot of these businesses to be able to hold on and also, I think it really creates that excitement back in Moose Jaw that people are used to when they come to visit us,” says Tourism Moose Jaw executive director Jacki L’Heureux Mason. 

L’Heureux Mason added that the impact of the pandemic on the tourism industry varied depending on the business and how they were set up. The hotel sector was one of the industries that struggled most during the pandemic. 

“Lots of them are seeing occupancy rates of less than 25 per cent, which is a pretty disturbing number for anybody who's trying to make a go of a business in hotels,” L’Heureux Mason says.  

“Some restaurants did really, really well, especially if they were already set up with takeout and delivery.” 

Next week Tourism Moose Jaw is expected to run their tours at full capacity and they are planning for future events near the end of summer. As for how quickly people will be coming back to help the tourism industry rebound, L’Heureux Mason said people are already showing interest, but the reopening of the Tunnels will signal that the Tourism sector is back. 

“We have seen a fairly big uptick just at the visitor centre in the last couple of days, so we know that that's a very good sign that there's going to be the appetite to get out and do things,” she adds. 

Tourism Moose Jaw is encouraging businesses to have a plan ready to go for this week so that people feel welcome and safe.