Unruly Tourists Straining New Hampshire’s Budget During Coronavirus Pandemic

Tourists acting like sailors on shore leave are straining town services in Conway, New Hampshire, according to the town manager.

2020 Winter Party partying in South Beach
A Miami Herald image

Unruly tourists straining New Hampshire’s local budgets during Coronavirus pandemic.

In a variation on an ongoing local problem, tourists acting like sailors on shore leave are straining town services in Conway, New Hampshire.

Municipal, county and state officials joined United States House of Representative member Chris Pappas for an online discussion about what is needed in the next round of Coronavirus relief aid.

In particular, how the recent influx of summer visitors has led to an increase in everything from road rage incidents to dangerous fires set by people camping in off-limits areas.

Hey Sailor!
Image via Passage Maker

“We’re seeing that the people visiting us right now are a little more unruly than they were in the past.  Being a Navy veteran, I think I know the reason.  It’s as if they were out at sea for a long time, and all of sudden they’re in port and letting off steam.  It’s created some local fear, and anger,” said one discussion participant.

In turn, responding to those trying to shake Coronations cabin fever is hammering already pandemic hammered local municipal budgets.

While the State of New Hampshire has passed along some of its initial $1.25 billion in federal pandemic grant funding to communities, no New Hampshire town, city or county has received emergency funding directly from the federal government because their populations fall below the threshold for receiving such federal aid.

Source: Unruly Tourists Straining NH Town’s Budget During Coronavirus Pandemic