ASPEN – A measure from a Colorado county scheduled to begin on Dec. 14 that requires all visitors to sign a coronavirus affidavit has resulted in some visitors canceling their trips, local officials said.
Debbie Braun, president of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, told the Pitkin County Board of Health on Thursday that confusion about the program is keeping many visitors out.
Pitkin County will require visitors to sign an online affidavit that states they had a negative coronavirus test at most three days before arrival or, once arriving, that they will quarantine until they test negative or until 14 days have elapsed.
The county had implemented the measure earlier this month. Pitkin County is home to Aspen’s four ski areas – Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass – and will be the only county in the state with similar requirements.
Visitors will also be asked to certify that they and their potential dependents have been symptom-free for 10 days before arrival.
“We should become more attractive to visit because we’re guaranteeing a safe visit,” said Aspen City Councilwoman and health board member Ann Mullins. “We need to change the messaging going out there.”
The W Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain has already reported a loss of about $70,000 from canceled bookings since about Tuesday, the hotel’s general manager Greg Durrer told County Commissioner Greg Poschman, who sits on the health board.
“The phones are ringing with people not understanding the affidavit and not knowing if we are going to stay in Orange-plus (level restrictions) or go to Red,” Braun said. “Many of the lodges right now are seeing more cancellations than they are seeing bookings as we’re moving forward.”
Lodges in the area are allowed to stay open and are not bound to the state’s coronavirus color-code capacity restrictions, the Aspen Times reported.
