Daily business loss about $732,000 as result of coronavirus pandemic

Communities across the country have taken a hit as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and Whitefish is no exception.

A recent survey of Whitefish business owners estimates a revenue loss of $732,000 per day in March compared to last year.

The survey was done by the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce. About 115 businesses responded.

Dylan Boyle of WCVB said the numbers are hard to look at, but getting a grip on what’s happening in Whitefish is important moving forward.

“First and foremost it’s difficult to see that type of revenue loss for our community,” Boyle said. “It affects our local businesses, our workers, all our businesses across many sectors. I will say that although these numbers are difficult to see, this data will help us to continue to rally around our community and to advocate for future business assistance. That was really the impetus of this study, to get that information out to show our businesses are struggling and they need help in this unprecedented time.”

The businesses included in the survey are grouped into professional services, lodging, restaurant and dining, and retail.

Professional services, which Boyle described as a “catch all” for businesses that didn’t fit neatly into the other categories, is suffering the biggest losses at $261,000 per day, making up 35% of the total losses.

Retail came in just behind at $199,765 and restaurants and bars just behind that at $196,321.

Lodging reported the lowest losses currently at $75,277 per day, though it is the shoulder season for Whitefish lodges and hotels.

Boyle said he expects to repeat the survey later this month, using the March survey as a benchmark to see how things are changing as time progresses.

That will give a clearer indication of what’s happening within Whitefish’s businesses, and possibly more insight into what a dampened summer season could look like for Whitefish.

It’s hard to look ahead without clear answers, Boyle said.

“I think that is what is so unprecedented when we’re looking at this situation, because we really don’t know what it’ll look like in June, July or August. Obviously that’s when we have the largest number of visitors and the largest economic impact to the area,” he said. “It’s so hard to even think about it, because we don’t know how long the situation will last.”

Boyle contrasted the coronavirus outbreak to a more familiar crisis situation for the Flathead Valley — wildfire season.

A heavy wildfire season can have big impacts on area businesses during the summer months, he said, but the difference is that business owners can see a light at the end of the tunnel once fall rolls around.

“When you look at the impacts we’ve seen over the last 10 years like a wildfire, where we have big economic loss for a short amount of time, that can be really concentrated and very impactful. What we know is there is an end date to fire season,” he said. “Everything is changing day-to-day right now, to the point that I don’t know how I think things will move. Projections for when it will become safe to travel and when spending will return are just so unknown.”

The survey asked only about daily revenue loss, Boyle noted, and not about employment figures or any other related information, which he hopes will come to light as time moves on.

Right now, the focus is on getting Whitefish businesses the help they need.

“It helps us to really rally around our business community through advocating for that business assistance. I believe that information can get out locally, county-wide, statewide and certainly to our federally elected officials so that all of those groups are aware of what’s going on and hopefully can provide that assistance,” he said.

For more information on the city’s response to the coronavirus outbreak and a list of which businesses are still operating, visit www.explorewhitefish.com.