Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and its members are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and working to provide information to the thousands of outdoor business that have been impacted by the pandemic.
While the overall industry is a major force, roughly 90 percent of the industry is made up of small business that are vital to the health and economic well-being of their communities, many in rural areas, according to ORR. These critical businesses are suffering and in danger of failing because of the COVID-19 outbreak and the necessary efforts to mitigate the virus’ spread.
ORR has a hub with up-to-date information for outdoor recreation business and partners. Visitors can find details about federal, state, and local park and recreational amenity closures and tips for getting outdoors safely. They can also follow ORR’s ongoing efforts to protect the $778 billion outdoor recreation economy and the interests of America’s 144 million outdoor enthusiasts.
ORR will continue to work closely with federal and state agencies on closures and recreation guidance, as well as with Congress on resources that will support the outdoor sector and the 5.2 million Americans in the outdoor recreation workforce, the organization stated.
Like many other sectors, ORR said it is responding quickly to the changing landscape. So far, ORR has:
- Sent a letter to President Trump outlining first-hand impacts that the pandemic is having on outdoor businesses and requesting support including tariff relief, inclusion of the outdoor recreation industry in any future stimulus packages and a thoughtful approach to federal land closures within CDC guidelines.
- Sent letters to every state governor expressing support the industry provides as well as asking them to consider outdoor recreation businesses as essential.
- Put forward a series of policy recommendations from across the industry to immediately assist small outdoor recreation business, as well as first-person accounts of how coronavirus is affecting these businesses.
- Collating outdoor sector resources from across our membership and bringing the outdoor sector together to do their part in helping those most in need right now.