Tourist season off to a slow start

Summer has finally arrived with its usual influx of tourists, but the visitor count at the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center is down from 1998.

According to chamber manager Mardyth Peterson, businesses in town have also noticed a drop in visitors so far this year. Many attribute the decline in visitor numbers to a long winter and the cold weather that seemed to linger into late spring.

The chamber also tracks the number of phone calls received at the visitor center. Phone inquiries are also down from 1998, though not as much as the visitor count. Internet inquiries totaled 55 for the month of May (count reflects actual requests for additional information, not "hits" on the chamber web site.

The chamber's web site address is http://www.sisters-chamber.com. The e-mail address is [email protected]

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