Health

Despite continued reopening, Boston’s tourism industry still struggling in mid-summer

BOSTON — On Tuesday, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the city could be one of the first in the country to “truly” recover. But even if the numbers continue trending in a positive direction, the tourism industry in the city is not even close to being out of the woods.

The Swan Boat season is two-thirds over and the boats are still not even in the water. They are working on safety protocols to open.

Boston 25 News talked to tourists visiting Boston on a day that typically would be packed with people.

Holden Wilson and his family are from Arizona. Wilson wished that, “the USS Constitution was open.” His mother, Elaine Leonard, said, “when we initially got here we were planning to go to Legal Seafood.”

Wilson’s father, David Holden, said, “we knew we couldn’t go into the museums, so that is obviously a disappointment.”

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Typically, on a day in early July, seats would be packed with people waiting to get onto the Duck Boats. But the Duck Boats haven’t opened at all this year. That will change next week.

“We are eager to get back to putting smiles on guests’ faces and hearing quacks throughout the City,” said Boston Duck Tours CEO Cindy Brown. “Ducks coming out of hibernation each March signified the start of spring, but now they signify the start of recovery for our tourism industry, one that has suffered tremendously.”

“Unfortunately, with COVID-19, a lot of people still aren’t traveling,” Mayor Walsh said.

When asked if he’s seeing any tourism rebound, Mayor Walsh responded with the following:

“I’m seeing more today than I did in the past four months,” he said. “I still think, unfortunately, our restaurants, hotels and tourism industry is in for a bit more of a ride.”

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