But when the dust settles, will these Covid-related impacts on mountain destinations remain?
The pandemic has accelerated the exodus from dense, crowded urban areas to remote, unpopulated resort areas. This in-migration is traced back to the perception of personal safety that can be obtained by living in uncrowded, unspoiled destinations.
“Some mountain town second homeowners are using their units personally, taking them out of the rental pool. For short-term rentals, the contraction of inventory will result in transient visitors having fewer options to choose from. This dynamic is especially challenging given the preference that mountain travelers have expressed for rent-by-owner lodging over hotels during COVID,” Dave Belin, Director of Consulting Services at RRC Associates and Insights Collective member. “Similarly, long-term rentals that would normally house employees are also being taken off the market, further straining the availability and affordability of worker housing.”