Rafting outfitters say river trips holding steady despite drought
Member Center:
August 13, 2007
OCOEE (AP) -- Whitewater rafting outfitters in southeast Tennessee say the drought hasn't hurt their business.
State figures show 27,000 people have rafted down the upper Ocoee River, up more than 2,000 from last season. The middle Ocoee has drawn 154,000 thrill seekers, about 1,000 more than last year.
Still, companies don't expect a banner year.
Outfitters say while the lack of rain hasn't hurt their business, early school openings are cramping them.
Ocoee Outfitters owner J.T. Lemons says the weekday season is over when the back to school circulars come folded in the newspaper.
Another outfitter says some of his guides have already had to quit because of earlier college classes.
Businesses expect weekends to be busy through autumn, but the weekday business has dropped off.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comments Terms of Use: We welcome your participation in our community. Please keep your comments civil and on point. You must be at least 13 years of age to post comments. By submitting a comment, you agree to these
Terms of Service
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login or register See all comments |
