Local economic impact of land border restrictions being lifted

The U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada have now been open for a week and it has been good for some local businesses. The U.S. reopened its land borders to fully vaccinated visitors on Nov. 8.

The president and CEO of the Greater Coachella Chamber of Commerce, Emily Falappino, said the hardest hit industries in the valley when the pandemic hit included food, beverage, lodging, and entertainment. She adds that now, the valley can finally accommodate its usual foreign visitors.

"The economic impact is definitely evident if you just drive around. And you'll notice like restaurants are staying open just a little bit later. The outdoor dining as well as the indoor dining is full," said Falappino. "Canadians in general, it's important to realize that in the Coachella Valley, we are about a $7.5 billion tourism market. And of that ,the Canadian snowbirds I think, contribute about 4% or 5%."

She said Canadian snowbirds usually spend about $300 million in the valley. 

The owner of La Quinta Baking Company, Kim Gower, said during snowbird season, foreign customers tend to make up about 25% of her sales.

"Quite an increase in business over the last two weeks since Nov. 8, when the borders opened," said Gower. "Weekdays have been as busy as the weekends."

One of the workers at Tres Conchitas Bakery in Coachella, Vanessa Ortega, said they have seen more customers, particularly more Mexican residents. 

"Now that everything's calming down, we've been seeing a lot a lot of people from different places," said Ortega.

Falappino said many local businesses will likely feel the positive impact of the return of foreign visitors to the valley.

"We have a lot of Mexican residents who come over to the East side of the valley to visit family," said Falappino. "And that is a significant economic impact as well, because the average size of a household increases, food consumption increases. So you see a little bit of an increase in activity spend."