Tourism In The Northland Is Expected To Return To Normal This Year

Living in a beautiful area like Duluth and the North Shore, I sometimes forget just how amazing the sights, sounds, restaurants and stores are in the area.  The millions of tourists that flock here every year are a good reminder of just how lucky we all are to call this place home. Of course, with the pandemic nobody was traveling anywhere and cities and towns that rely on tourism dollars had to find other ways to generate that lost revenue.

Thankfully with people being vaccinated and mask mandates being eliminated in most areas people are anxious to be back traveling and seeing the sights which we have a ton of here. Senator Amy Klobuchar stopped in Duluth yesterday to declare that  "Duluth is open for business. We want the whole state to come up and enjoy this beautiful lake."

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This is great news for businesses and citizens alike with many major events happening again like Grandmas Marathon and Blues Fest just to name a few. Anna Tanski, who is the executive director of Visit Duluth feels that the number of visitors in 2021 will be typical like in years past. She said to WDIO:

We know what Duluth looks like without tourism. We know what northern Minnesota looks like without tourism. And we have all come together, in our partners across the Iron Range and up the North Shore, and have really collaborated over the last year in new, innovative ways that we never did before.

The downside for some businesses right now is that they are in need of employees and with a busy tourist season starting it is crucial that they fill these positions. Along with the flurry of new businesses that have opened it is a huge benefit for locals and tourists alike. Parts of Duluth may be a little more hectic and an increase in traffic, but again remember  how lucky we are to live in a place where people from all over the world come to enjoy our beautiful city. So be patient and try to remember what it was like last summer, and I believe that we all will feel a little more grateful for the busy life which we were all accustomed too.