If you can't go to the pool, bring the pool to you.
With public pools closed this year, more people are looking for alternatives closer to home. The coronavirus pandemic has kept public and neighborhood pools and water parks closed, and many families are choosing to do a "stay-cation" rather than continue with their original summer travel plans. And the best way to keep the fun going at home? Get a backyard pool.
In fact, retailers and pool companies all over the country have reported remarkably high sales and demand over the last couple of months, from the inflatable kiddie pools to professionally installed pools.
I’m day drunk in a kiddie pool. #IsolationLife pic.twitter.com/2WQpNZm5uX
— Bodice Tipplers (@BTipplers) May 23, 2020
Sabeena Hickman, the president and CEO of the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance, told MarketWatch that consumer inquiries are way up from last year:
“With COVID, and the trepidation with travel, people are taking that money and investing it in a backyard pool. Most of the industry had shut down for a period of time. Now they’re saying their phones are ringing off the hook. We’re really going to start promoting staycations and the benefit of investing in your backyard and being able to control sanitation and being able to control social distancing and keep your family safe. Being around the water makes you feel good. I’m really hoping it’s a strong year for our industry.”
Retailers like Walmart and Target have seen record numbers of kid- and adult-sized inflatable pools in the last month or so, according to MarketWatch’s report. Independent and local pool retailers around the country report seeing a huge increase in demand and are working hard to keep inventory in stock. Higher-end pool retailers are not seeing as much of a boom in business, as they tend to run in the thousand-dollar range.
Below are a few of our favorite backyard pools:
- Inflatable Family-Sized Pool – $117.99
- Inflatable Dinosaur Pool With Sprinkler – $119.99
- Sunset Glow Baby Pool – $15.85
- Family Lounge Pool – $212.95
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that they have not seen evidence that the COVID-19 can be spread through pool water:
"There is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through the water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds. Proper operation and disinfection of pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds should kill the virus that causes COVID-19. Limit close contact with people outside your home in public spaces, both in and out of the water."
Whether it's just a couple of feet of water to splash around in or a full backyard pool setup, it looks like a day at the pool this summer is going to mean simply heading out to the backyard. Have you jumped in on the kiddie-pool game yet? Comment below.
