PAGE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – Page, Arizona, can be the headquarters for travelers who want to explore Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, and other landmarks.
It’s now home Adam Cranston, the owner of State 48 Tavern. “We ended up building a taproom next door, and it was basically going to be used as a waiting room for people,” he said. With tourism exploding before the COVID-19 pandemic, Cranston had to expand the restaurant.
Page is a small community with about 7,500 residents that relies heavily on international tourists. Before coronavirus, Gregg Martinez, the economic development coordinator for the city of Page, says they would see 5 million visitors a year. COVID-19 cut that number in half in 2020; he told Arizona’s Family on Wednesday.
As businesses like Cranston’s inch towards pre-pandemic crowds again, the city is introducing a series of new events and ways to welcome tourists. Martinez says they are focusing on the Valley to remind people to visit their mom-and-pop restaurants and bars. “A lot of times, I have family and friends that live in the Valley, and they’re like, ‘where’s Page?” Martinez said.
He says the city is rolling out a series of events this year that starts with the Page Fine Art Festival in April, which will be an annual event.“We are trying to be as innovative and as flexible as possible,” Martinez said. “We want to make sure that everyone knows that our small business community is the heart of our community.”
As Arizonans make summer plans, Cranston hopes everyone considers this: “We are open for business. We have a great community here. Everybody is ready for the season,” he said.
“There are so many things to do other than just the lake. We have all the slot tours, Horseshoe Bend, we have air tours,” said Judy Franz, the executive director of the Page-Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce. Franz says the Page-Lake Powell Hub is the visitor’s center for the area where you can get information on tours and restaurants. It is now also doing lottery tickets for the Wave.
Franz suggests making reservations in advance because tours book up quickly. You can also learn more by calling (928) 608 – 5749.
Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
