Capturing the consumer
RETAIL, TOURIST SECTORS GO HAND-IN-HAND IN DRIVING THE LOCAL ECONOMY By Jon Hurst Retailers Association of Massachusetts
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he summer season is here and with it comes the opportunity for businesses to boost sales from our resident consumers and tourists. Unlike the last two years, government restrictions are gone. Yet, severe challenges still remain from damaging inflation, product deficiencies and staffing shortages. It’s clear that consumers and tourists
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are returning to the region. Yet, how long they can continue to spend and contribute to local sales is uncertain, given their dollars simply aren’t going as far as they did even one year ago. The retail sector across the Commonwealth employs over half a million residents. These workers operate out of approximately 70,000 locations small and large — from Main Street shops, cafes and fine dining establishments to larger businesses located in regional shopping and dining destinations. Those sellers serve consumers, and those consumers represent 70 percent of the economy. Most of our consumers are local residents. But in many regions, it is the visitors who can make
or break the profitability of the business community. Tourism is an important part of the retail sector on the North Shore, as it is on Cape Cod and the islands, in Boston and throughout the Berkshires. Likewise, the retail sector represents an important contributor to the entire tourism industry, as shopping and dining are consistently the most frequent activity of visitors. Attractions and lodging are often viewed as the backbone of the tourism industry. But without robust local dining and shopping options, there will be fewer visitors and they will have less of an impact on our consumer-driven economy. Like our local stores and restaurants, hotels, museums, arts venues and other attractions have been through a twoyear period like no other in memory. From government-imposed shutdowns and severe restrictions, to messaging that dampened consumer spending and investment, small businesses serving tourists have been hit with lower sales, followed by increasing costs. The consumer goods and services
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