MERCER COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – As the pandemic continues and more events are canceled, many businesses are hurting, including those in the ATV industry.
Spring is usually a popular time for ATV enthusiasts to take to the trails
“Historically, April and May are two of the biggest months for ATV traffic,” said Jamie Null with the Mercer County CVB. “That’s when [businesses] really come off of a winter hiatus. They also use those months to gather revenue to carry them through our slower months.”
This year is a bit different as some reservations at resorts are canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have seen a slow down in the ATV business where the trails are closed,” said Tina Miller, owner of Miller’s Garage and ATV Superstore. “We have had cancellations in our campground where they were coming in to ride the trails, so it has affected us.”
With lost income, some businesses risk not recovering. Miller hopes the state reopens before it’s too late to come back from the loss.
“We are an essential business with the garage working on vehicles,” said Miller. “We have been blessed to be able to stay open. A lot of the ATV businesses have had to close and I know that’s tough. I can’t imagine if we had to do that.”
On the bright side, this year isn’t a total loss for ATV businesses. While tourism isn’t as popular in the hotter months, things tend to pick back up when fall comes around.
“We already have great bookings for fall,” said Null. “Most [businesses] probably already have those weekends already booked. It’s really hard to find a cabin along the ATV trail in the months of October and September.”