BUFFALO, N.Y. — To date, no cases of coronavirus have been reported in Western New York, but the effects of the illness are still being felt by businesses in Buffalo.
Buffalo Business First reported that local hotels and the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center were seeing an increase in cancellations from travelers coming from China.
2 On Your Side's Karys Belger spoke with Patrick Kaler, the president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara. He explained that in a recent board meeting, he had heard multiple hotels report cancellations.
"Some are minimal, and also what we’ve heard yesterday at our board meeting is that Hyatt Regency has seen a 20 percent drop-off in Chinese test-takers coming in for the bar exam," he said.
The next exam dates for the New York State Bar Exam is scheduled for February 25 and 26.
Kaler told 2 On Your Side that normally those people would stay in local hotels.
Kaler also explained that the manager of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center has seen cancellations for the meals test-takers order on the day of the test.
Now, he says, convention center staff are looking for solutions.
"There was talk of people bringing in masks. Does that set up a situation where people might be able to write notes or something on the mask? So all of that is being investigated right now," Kaler said.
The general manager for the Hyatt Regency was not available for an on-camera interview. He sent the following statement to WGRZ: