Rebuilding tourism in Ely may be a challenging task

Ely’s tourism economy took a vicious beating in July.

Nearby wildfires combined with temporarily smoky air, the temporary closure of the Boundary Waters Area Wilderness and a barrage of media attention turned the peak of the tourism season into a nightmare for tourism operators.

“There was a lot working against us this year,” said Whitney Woods, marketing director for VisitEly, also known as the Ely Tourism Bureau.