WISCONSIN DELLS, WI (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Tourism is taking a big hit around the nation and Wisconsin as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

That is causing unease in the Wisconsin Dells, a community particularly reliant on tourism.

Gayelynn Plaster opened up her store — Made With Love — a little more than a year ago in the Dells.

She says things started picking up for business starting in March.

“Spring breakers, spring vacation people, all the hotels, every day it just got busier and busier,” Plaster said.

That looks different this week.

“Yesterday was a 50 dollar day, today is a zero day,” Plaster said.

Tuesdays are normally the slowest day she says, but the coronavirus outbreak limited crowds and shutting down hotels and waterparks means this is much more than the ebb and flow of business.

Which makes Plaster very concerned.

“I'm trying to stay calm, I'm a positive person, I take it a day at a time, I've been through worse, but it could economically close me,” Plaster said.

Several of the largest hotels and water parks in the Dells announced they would close temporarily because of the Coronavirus outbreak. Some other businesses and restaurants followed suit.

A few tourists were still here walking the streets on Tuesday, like Abby Lewiston and her family from Iowa. They got in last Friday for a spring break vacation, and since then they've watched the town clear out.

“It's crazy, unexpected more than anything,” Lewiston said.

Lewiston said the town looks far from what she's used to in previous spring trips.

“It's busy, packed, all the stores are usually open,” Lewiston said.

Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention bureau says visitors spend about $1.2 billion each year in the Dells.

The Spring — from March to May — is typically the second busies season behind the Summer. Normally visitors spend more than 250 million in the three spring months.

Plaster said she's hoping for this to blow over in a couple of weeks. She's also hoping the state or federal government can help businesses like hers if this goes on for a while.

In general, she said people in the Dells are anxious.

“I think everyone's just kind of holding their breaths, and hoping for the best,” Plaster said.