Merchants hope for lucrative tourist season
From our weekly issue dated June 24, 2009
Numerous four-wheelers and recreational vehicles converged at Lone Mountain RV Resort in O’Brien for the annual McGrew Trail event during Father’s Day weekend. The influx of summer visitors is important to many Illinois Valley businesses, which rely on revenue from that time to carry them through the slower months. (Photo by Illinois Valley News)
A guest book lies on the front counter of Lue-van-o’s in Downtown Cave Junction, just as it has since the business opened in January.
The difference is that the signatures of people from throughout the world have filled its pages during recent weeks. Owner Fred Luevano said that during the past month, his store has been visited by tourists from Germany, Australia, New York, Texas, South America, Canada, Alaska, Holland, and Washington D.C.
Luevano said that, as far as he’s concerned, it’s tourist season in Cave Junction.
“It’s already started,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of tourists come through. Some are looking; some are buying.”
Bob Schumacher, executive director of the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization, said that he has seen a similar pattern at the I.V. Visitor Center.
“We’re seeing the numbers starting to go up substantially,” Schumacher said.
On the morning of Friday, June 12 a group of high school students from Gettysburg, Penn., stopped at the Visitor Center on their way to Oregon Caves National Monument.
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the monument’s designation, as well as the 75th anniversary of the Chateau and Oregon’s sesquicentennial. As such, Schumacher and others are hoping that increased interest will draw more tourists to Illinois Valley.
But that focus isn’t limited to people from out-of-state or country. Rather, Schumacher said, marketing efforts are under way to reach Rogue Valley and Northern California residents who have never visited the caves.
That may prove a boon to local businesses, many of whom rely on a strong summer season to carry them through the winter months when business seems to decline. Andrea Thomas, owner of Nacho Mamas Cantina & Restaurant in Cave Junction, said that she benefits from tourists being referred to her business by the area’s tree-house attractions.
Thomas said that this year has been “inconsistent,” and that it’s too early to tell if summer will see strong sales.
“I’m not sure about this year yet,” she said, adding that she remains optimistic.
Cautious optimism also was expressed by Brandy Dussault, owner of Brandy’s Boutique in Cave Junction.
Brandy’s Boutique opened in late February, so the business has yet to experience a summer tourist season. Things have been slow so far, Dussault said, but business has picked up since winter.
“You just take what you can get from people and hope they support you,” she said.
Last year’s summer tourist season was dampened by record-high gasoline prices, but pressing concerns about the economy may affect whether many Americans decide to hit the road.
Dussault said that she’s starting to see more RVs driving through Cave Junction, which could be a good sign for area merchants.
“Hopefully, it will pick up,” Dussault said.
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