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10 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Luzerne County; 853 statewide

politics_drives_US_economy

Poll -Views of Economy by Party

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; Larry Newman, executive director of the Diamond City Partnership, Thursday said the results of a survey reveal that understanding the feelings and priorities of local residents regarding reopening, safety protocols and their comfort level in returning to businesses is critically important for downtown Wilkes-Barre&rsquo;s recovery.
				&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why DCP chose to work with the International Downtown Association (IDA) in undertaking this consumer survey,&rdquo; Newman said. &ldquo;The research will help local businesses and policy-makers understand what they should be doing to increase consumer confidence, sales and business survival during this challenging time.&rdquo;
				Newman said local responses to a national survey assessing consumer confidence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic reveal:
				&#8226; The types of businesses and events that Luzerne County residents currently feel most comfortable patronizing.
				&#8226; The most important factors in making local consumers feel more comfortable while shopping, dining or attending public gatherings.
				&#8226; Local respondents&rsquo; opinions about the pace of reopening.
				&#8226; And other information that will assist local businesses and officials in making more informed decisions about the best way to facilitate the reopening process.
				Newman said DCP was one of 23 downtown management organizations across the United States to work with the International Downtown Association (IDA) in administering the survey, which was conducted across the nation this past summer. Three-hundred fifty-nine residents of Luzerne County participated, and this report compares the local results to the overall pool of respondents from the US and Canada.
				Here are some key surveys findings: 
				&#8226; Survey responses reveal that restaurants with outdoor seating rank highest among the types of businesses and events that Luzerne County residents currently feel comfortable patronizing, while indoor concerts and performances rank lowest.
				&#8226; Survey respondents indicate that requiring masks for employees and customers, regular cleaning and providing hand sanitizer are the most important ways of making local consumers feel more comfortable while shopping, dining or attending public gatherings at the present time.
				&#8226; Regarding the pace of reopening, 41% of local respondents feel that the pace of reopening is about right, while 33% said that things are moving too slowly, and 23% said things are reopening too quickly.
				Compared with the overall national sample, local respondents were more comfortable with the pace of reopening and less likely to say things are moving too fast. Wilkes-Barre residents were also more comfortable with outdoor events, indoor restaurant seating, gyms, salons, etc. than the national sample.
				While local respondents were slightly less likely to have changed their spending patterns than the national average, the differences were very modest.
				&ldquo;Local responses to this national survey confirm the extent to which local consumers have cut back on spending on items like restaurant meals, apparel, entertainment, and travel during the pandemic,&rdquo; Newman said. &ldquo;They highlight the fact that, while we&rsquo;ve focused a lot of attention on the economic impact of public health restrictions, we also need to understand the ongoing economic impact of consumers&rsquo; current reluctance to patronize certain types of businesses.&rdquo;
				Newman said it&rsquo;s clear that enterprises in the most affected sectors will continue to require financial assistance if they are to survive. To date, Newman said initiatives such as Luzerne County&rsquo;s new COVID-19 Grant program, the City of Wilkes-Barre&rsquo;s Emergency Relief Loan Program, and the various assistance programs offered by state and federal government have been critical lifelines.
				&ldquo;But more will be needed in the coming months,&rdquo; Newman said.
				Wico Van Genderen, President of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber, stated the Chamber was happy to partner with DCP in distributing the survey to members, businesses, and the local community.
				&ldquo;Clearly, COVID has turned the status quo on its head,&rdquo; Van Genderen said. &ldquo;As a business community, we must re-imagine the way we do business, from supply chain to consumers. These surveys help to identify consumer confidence, preferences and needs, with the results showing that local businesses must be able to adapt and respond to changes in consumer behavior.&rdquo;
				Van Genderen said that&rsquo;s why the Chamber and DCP encourage local businesses to participate in &ldquo;Luzerne County Ready&rdquo; in order to ensure consumers that they are following the safety protocols; why they are utilizing DiscoverNEPA.com as a regional COVID community resource page; and &mdash; most recently &mdash; why they are encouraging local businesses to participate in the industry roundtables and surveys offered by Project EVOLVE, a new initiative funded by Luzerne County through the CARES act.
				&ldquo;EVOLVE is specifically intended to help identify solutions and align resources to assist Luzerne County businesses to adjust and get back on their feet, help displaced workers get back into the workforce, and re-imagine a post-COVID economy that is sustainable and successful,&rdquo; Van Genderen said.

DCP survey results assess consumer confidence in the wake of COVID-19