The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for nearly every sector of the economy from local to state to national, impacting every industry–especially travel and tourism in a community such as Pella, which relies heavily on visitor traffic to generate dollars for businesses and non-profit organizations.

Jill Vandevoort with the Pella Convention and Visitors Bureau says there is a fine line for all local business owners to walk, especially during what would normally be the peak of visitor traffic in the City of Pella during the tulip blooms leading into graduation season. She says the goal is to try to offset some of the loss Tulip Time’s cancellation has brought to many, while at the same time, keeping everyone as safe as possible in lowering the impact of COVID-19.

Vandevoort says VisitPella.com has been using social media to keep visitors’ interest in Pella and encouraging those to come to the area, especially when it becomes safe to do so again — in partnership with local business owners and Travel Iowa.

Hear more about local tourism on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.