'An Air Of Optimism': Boston Businesses Ready For Busy Summer
BOSTON (CBS) - Festivals, games, concerts- a fun and crowd-filled Summer is expected in Boston following news of the state and city reopening on May 29.
General Manager of the Boston Harbor Hotel Stephen Johnston said, "literally within an hour of the announcements the phones started to ring. It was a busy afternoon."
The timing of the announcement is crucial for businesses like the Boston Harbor Hotel.
"The weddings that were booked from the middle of the year to the end of the year now finally are going ahead. There was an uncertainty over those up until this point. There's definitely an air of optimism that didn't exist before this week," said Johnston.
Unable to take place last year, the 111th Fisherman's Feast is set to happen in the North End from August 12th through the 15th. Co-chairman of the four-day festival Louis Strazzullo said, "I am fully expecting a full crowd to return. I am fully expecting that, if not more."
He added that during a typical year, "the course of the four days we have anywhere around 50,000 plus people that keep on traveling through."
"The tourism industry is all about inter-connectivity. People are coming to see a Red Sox game let's say, then they stay in a hotel, then they go out to breakfast, lunch and dinner," said Martha Sheridan, CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Boston Belle Charters, which offers boat cruises around the Boston Harbor, is reopening in June for the first time in over a year.
"Thrilled. Absolutely thrilled. It's been a long 14-15 months and now we're back in action and we can't wait to get back in the water," said owner Matt Robitaille.
The Boston Belle has been in operation for over 20 years, relying heavily on customers in the summer to keep business afloat.
"We have a really short 5-6 month period of time. We have to really kill it during that time. We just have to hit the ground- or water - running," said Robitaille.
