依然としてコロナウィルスは世界中で猛威を奮っている。現在世界中で感染者は50万人を超えており、25,000人近い人々が亡くなっていると聞く。
私たち米国でも症例数は10万人を超える勢いで、1,200人以上がその大切な命を落としている。このパンデミックにより米国は欧州の多数の国やカナダからの旅行を禁止。もちろんこのような状況下で旅行をする人は少ないが、多くのルート66ファンを抱える欧州からの旅行者が来ないという事実は、ルート66沿道ビジネスにも多大な影響を落としている。

アリゾナ州ウィンスローに建つ歴史のある「La Posada Hotel」は、再開業した23年前以来、初めての一時閉鎖に追い込まれた。
私の良き友人でもあるオーナーの Allan、そして彼のパートナーである Tina は先週この困難な決断をし、ウイルスの影響で苦しんでいる人々に向け「この危機を乗り越えようとしている皆様の健康と生計を心よりお祈り申し上げます。」と語っている。(Route 66 News より)
尚、Allan はニューメキシコ州 Las Vegas でも「Plaza Hotel」「La Castaneda Hotel」、同州 Lamy の街では「Legal Tender Saloon」を経営している。
残念ではあるが、もちろん全て通常の営業はできていない。

La Posada のホームページより、公式声明を原文のままご紹介。

We have always been an unusual business, founded not to make money but to save special places. For twenty-five years we have poured our lives and revenue into improving our properties, our communities and our staff with little regard for the bottom line. We are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish, and so very grateful for the support of our loyal guests and lovely towns.
Everything is different now. We have had so many cancellations we cannot process them right away. Please be patient and kind. If you believe in our common future, buy a gift certificate for a future stay or meal. If you already have a reservation we would love to give you a gift certificate or reschedule your stay when things get better – which they will. We understand that many of our guests are in crisis too, so if you have a reservation and need a refund we will get that to you as quickly as we can.
We are doing all we can to support our staff too. We will pay out all benefits and will keep 24-hour security and live-in at all properties. Most of these fine people have been with us for years, some for decades. It is heartbreaking. Tina and I are working without pay. We will borrow and use every penny we have so we can all recover together.
La Posada opened in 1930 as the depression overtook an unprepared nation. Working together we brought La Posada back and made it an oasis of kindness and beauty, and then the same for the Plaza, Castaneda and Legal Tender. This crisis too shall pass. We will all travel and dine and laugh again.

ニューメキシコ州と言えば、パンデミック期間、州内すべての宿泊施設に稼働率を50%以下に制限するように命じた。さらに同州は、ウイルスの影響を直接受ける可能性のある医療従事者とその家族が利用できる部屋を(ホテルを利用して)確保したいとも考えていると聞く。

ニューメキシコ州のルート66、アイコン的な施設と言えば「Blue Swallow Motel」だ。そのブルースワローも27日(金)を持って一時的に2週間強、閉鎖する決断をした。(4月12日に再開するかどうか判断)

オーナー夫妻である Kevin と Nancy も私の大切な友人であり、将来的に何かお手伝いが出来ればとも話しているだけに、決して他人事ではない。もちろんルート66沿道の全てのビジネスが大変であろうだけに、想いはこのモーテルらだけではない。かく言う私自身もホテル業界に勤務しており、相当に大変な思いを経験している真っ最中なのだ(泣)

こちらも彼らのFBよりアナウンスメントをご紹介。
一日も早く世界中で感染んが下火になり、元の世界に戻ることを祈って止まない。

We are sad to announce that due to increased concern for the well-being of our guests, employees and ourselves, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the motel, effective Friday, March 27th. Please understand that we do not make this decision lightly, but we feel it is impossible to ensure that any of us will not be exposed to the COVID-19 virus during this time of unusual and extreme risk. Additionally, we are simply unable to provide the experience of sociable hospitality that the Blue Swallow has become famous for under the kind of interactive restrictions that are currently in place. The experiences of sitting out with your neighbors under the warm glow of the neon, or sharing travel stories around a campfire, are ones that we are unable to facilitate at this time. It is not entirely clear when we will be able to resume normal operations, but we are targeting April 12 as a day to review the status of the current crisis. A decision will be made at that time on whether to reopen or extend the closure.

We encourage you to not travel during this time, but if you must be on the road, and decide to stay in Tucumcari, please first try our other historic motels, such as the Safari Motel, Roadrunner Lodge or Historic Route 66 Motel. We do not know what their plans are, but for now, they remain open.

We hope and pray that we all come through this crisis safely together, and that we are able to resume normal, fun operations in the very near future.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and hope to see you at the Blue Swallow for a future visit. Until the time that we see you back on Route 66, please stay safe and healthy.

Thank you all for your support–Kevin & Nancy