Coastal communities hope to salvage tourist season

LONG BEACH, Wash. – All eyes are on the southwest Washington's coast as small communities dependent on tourism now balance the need for visitors and an ongoing pandemic.

Pacific County is among the first places in our region to move to Phase 3 of Governor Jay Inslee’s staggered reopening plan.

The county was mostly spared from the worst of coronavirus as only 12 cases were confirmed.

The bigger crisis is likely economic as the city of Long Beach lost valuable time during the early months of the year and had to delay their tourist season until June 16.

“I think the majority of businesses are very aware of what we can do to make it safe,” said Susie Goldsmith, owner of Boreas Bed & Breakfast Inn.

Goldsmith has run the facility for a quarter century. It’s named after the Greek god of the north wind, but this year not even mythology could stop a pandemic.

“We were heading into the best business spring we’ve had in years, and that all came to a screeching halt,” she said.

There are only five suites at the inn, and back in March, Goldsmith said every customer with a summer reservation cancelled.

Groups of 50 people will be allowed to gather and non-essential travel is no longer prohibited in Phase 3. Restaurants will also be allowed to invite dine-in guests indoors but only to 75% capacity, and as many as 10 customers can to sit together.

But for a tourist town in the stretches of the southwest Washington coast, the shutdown meant the preceding weeks to reopening had been hard.

“Unfortunately, we laid virtually everybody off in some capacity there,” said Rebecca Blasko from Adrift Hospitality.

The company owns multiple restaurants and hotels in Long Beach. Blasko said more than 100 had to be laid off after the shutdown, but she’s optimistic for the rest of the summer season.

“People aren’t going to be flying,” she said. “I think the coastal towns will see a lot of people.”

According to the mayor of Long Beach, the city’s famous kite festival and other major tourist draws were cancelled.

Goldsmith says even the Greek gods can help bring calm for those seeking an escape from crisis.

“I think the virus is for real, it’s harmed people that I know,” she said.  “We now know more about how we can prevent it.”

The mayor said the city’s Fourth of July festival for now remains on schedule, but a public fireworks show is not planned.