 The hollowing capital of Salem, Massachusetts, separate under the recent government shutdown. The national parks, including the famous tallship Friendship and Visitor Center were both closed to tours for two weeks. To have a government closure in October would be like if the mall was closing during Christmas season. It's hard on businesses and the organizations that count on those visitors. So people were disappointed. The majority of people were understanding. They were just frustrated that the politics in Washington had contributed to the situation. To aid the tourists that continued flocking to Salem amidst the shutdown, Destination Salem arranged to have porta-potties set up outside the closed Visitor Center. Temporary information booths set up and staffed by volunteers, as well as making available boxes full of pamphlets and visitor information for those wanting to experience the city. With the shutdown now ended, the Visitor Center has reopened and is able to assist tourists directly, just in time for their busy season. In October, during the week, up to 3,000 people, and on the weekends, they could see 10 to 15,000 people in a day. We certainly weren't seeing that kind of numbers at our temporary booth. So it's good to have them back. I think we're good. I think we're going to have a great October as long as the weather holds. Salem's Haunted Happenings Festival is up and running for the remainder of the month. The number of visitors continues to rise with each day. I love seeing everyone dressed up and everyone so friendly here. It's a nice, happy place and a happy thing to do. The tourism-based economy in Salem took a huge hit when the government was shut down for two weeks. But with just one week to go before Halloween, tourists are flocking back to Salem. For BUTV10, I'm Kirsten Johnson.