Tourist businesses weather the storm
Salem, MA — Fewer people visited Salem attractions in 2009, and they spent less money while they were here — a reflection of the overall economy. But there were unexpected highlights, too.
Some businesses say they were braced for worse and were relieved to find they did better than expected. Others saw surprise successes, like the Peabody Essex Museum, which reported a 5 percent increase in attendance from 2008 to 2009 and record sales at the museum gift shop.
“Charitable giving was off, individual donations were off, and the endowment took a hit to its value,” said Jay Finney, chief marketing officer for the Peabody Essex Museum. “On that stance, this wasn’t a great year, but in terms of the true measure of people’s experience and love for the museum, we had a great year. We had attendance gains pretty much all year long.”
Conversely, hallmark attractions like the Salem Witch Museum and The House of the Seven Gables both saw a drop-off in attendance.
“We really took our hits in a variety of months,” said Tina Jordan, director of the Salem Witch Museum, where attendance was down 4 percent in 2009, “but things could have been a lot bleaker for us.
“We saw a decline in student tours in the early spring, and that was because of swine flu. In the summer, we saw a small decline in family visitors.”
The House of the Seven Gables reflected a similar 5 percent decline in revenues and visitation.
