Photo Courtesy: Experience Grants Pass

Optimism through troubles in tourism

Photo Courtesy: Experience Grants Pass

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — While the governor announced some rural areas in Oregon may be able to open back up again in mid-May, businesses are holding their collective breath, hoping to sustain operations.

The recently cancelled Boatnik Festival is one of many things Grants Pass and Josephine County have to offer visitors and residents alike.

Concerts, hiking, rafting, and more are all a huge part of the local economy and bring in a lot of visitor dollars.

Despite the drop in incoming dollars, every business is preparing for the light at the end of the tunnel.

“When things get back open, we’re all ready and excited. We expect a boom, people are going to be stir-crazy and are going to want to get out. it’s going to be good and we’re keeping that positivity up,” Tourism Director with the City of Grants Pass, Jon Bowen, said.

The Experience Grants Pass resource center recommends local businesses take advantage of this time to freshen up, spring clean or remodel during this closure.

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NBC5 News weather forecaster Aaron Nilsson is a Southern California native, but most recently lived in Seattle. He's also lived in Sweden and Utah. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Scandinavian Studies. While at BYU, he covered sports for BYUtv. Aaron is not new to the Medford/Klamath Falls market. He was a local TV journalist from 2013-2017. Outside the station, Aaron enjoys music, traveling, sports, movies, and cooking. His favorite sport is soccer.
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