After a super busy summer last year, preliminary indications are that Jackson Hole can expect another one in 2021.
In January the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce fielded 75% more emails and phone calls from people thinking about a summer vacation in the Tetons than it did last January.
âUsually late January, February and March are the highest volume of summertime inquiries,â chamber Vice President Rick Howe said. âThis year, as soon as the new year hit, we started getting a lot of inquiries into summer, especially the camping and RV sectors.â
The domestic market is likely to be stronger than the international market. The return of visitors from other countries will depend on factors like the lifting of pandemic shutdowns and border controls and progress on vaccinations.
Dozens if not hundreds of daily campers who didnât book a Grand Teton National Park site six months in advance are going to be deflected elsewhere to pitch a tent come summer 2021.
Those visitors who didnât plan ahead and reserve a campsite electronically are logically going to look nearby, and what theyâre going to find is the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
âI think the effect on us, one thing is that the visitors are going to be calling,â Bridger-Teton wilderness and recreation specialist Linda Merigliano told the News&Guide. âWeâre going to be getting a heck of a lot more phone calls. Theyâll ask if they can reserve a site on the forest, and we donât have a reservation system.â