Forks Ponders Life After Twilight Tourism
Posted on 31. Jan, 2011 by Amanda31 in News
The Forks Chamber of Commerce met last week to discuss whether the town was prepared for the expected decrease in Twilight tourism as the movies wind down. According to the Peninsula Daily News:
Since 2007, tens of thousands of fans have visited Forks to view the setting of the four novels by Stephenie Meyer — Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.
The books were subsequently made into blockbuster movies, creating even more buzz over the rainy town.
With visitation down by about 7 percent in November and December last year, the town is contemplating what the future holds, Monohon said.
“This year when we were budgeting, we dropped the numbers back to 2008 numbers for sales tax,” Monohon said.
“All we can do is monitor it and be aware that it won’t last forever,” Monohon said.
In 2008 and 2009, Forks received about $340,000 in sales tax.
Overall, the town gained about $450,000 in sales tax in 2010 — with the summer months racking up the biggest numbers in the history of the city, Monohon said.
Now the newspaper has another article saying that Dazzled By Twilight’s Twilight Lounge in Forks has closed its doors.
After nearly three years of Twilight-related events and food, the Twilight Lounge has shut its doors permanently, along with The Lodge in Forks, a 1-year-old restaurant upstairs in the same building.
The Twilight Lounge, 81 N. Forks Ave., originally opened in 2009 as a location for bands, events and gatherings for fans of the books set in Forks.
In early 2010, the owners of Dazzled By Twilight — Annette and Tim Root — opened the restaurant, which housed a bar and food with Twilight-themed names.
A sign in the window and a Facebook.com message announced the closure Tuesday.
“With a huge thank you to our supporters both friend and foe, the Lodge in Forks, Dungeon Bar and Twilight Lounge bid you a fond farewell,” said the Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/46cvnfl.
You can read the full article at the Peninsula Daily News.
Via the Twilight Examiner
3 Responses to “Forks Ponders Life After Twilight Tourism”
Ourtwilightcorner
31. Jan, 2011
I believe Forks will survive long after the Twilight has faded for them… However, I also believe that some of us Twi-hards and future Twi-hards will flock to Forks not matter what. I have been there and I love the book tour, it’s very surreal when you think about the fact that SM was there and picked this place from her sparkly dream.. Personally the movie tour in the Portland area is better simply because its more visually stimulating, I have take many friends on this tour and we all feel the producers of the sequels to Twilight should have stuck to the Northwest, but Forks is a real place with real people who survived before Twilight and will be there long after. It’s sad the people from Las Vegas can’t keep the restaurant and lounge a float, but if they saved well through the high they should be ok sense Vegas’ economy was in shambles when they left there to begin with. Dazzled by Twilight is an amazing store to get any and all your fixes for souvenirs, and I do hope that stays open in order to give all us followers a place to zero in on. I love Forks and the magic it holds may it Dazzle all of us forever!
BJ
02. Feb, 2011
Wow. I’m sure the town of Forks knew that one day all of this would come to an end. I can only imagine the excitement and the energy that it felt during all of this. There will always be fans, who still want to go and visit; to experience the magic. I’m sure Forks will be okay. Who knows SM might be back, Midnight Sun will need a home if she ever decides to finish it.
vicki
05. Feb, 2011
Forks will always hold a special kind of magic for me. I shared it with my best friend & daughter Summer & can’t wait to take Hannah & Victoria, my beautiful granddaughters & future Twilighters! Forks will be in our future for a long time to come! Hang in there Forks! Many generations to come will be drawn to your beauty & hospitality!