How will the hurricanes affect the 2004-5 tourist season?

[inotherwords]

I'm wondering what people here think about the upcoming tourist season. I bet a lot of the damaged beach properties (as well as many choice inland ones near major attractions) were already reserved for the upcoming season. Do you think the people who normally intend to visit Florida will just bail and go elsewhere this year, or do you think they'll work to find vacation rentals in undamaged parts of the state?

I hope they still decide to come to Florida, as we really do need the tourist dollars, especially this year.

I have two rental properties and they're already booked through April, one family is in refuge from Charley until their mobile home is built. I would imagine that a lot of the available rental property in Florida is being rented by displaced hurricane victims, so that will make vacant vacation property a lot more difficult to come by.

[hibiscushouse]

A guest I have scheduled next month wrote me with his concerns. Here is a snippet of his email to me:

Glad to hear that most of the storm missed you. We would still like to come down as scheduled, but we were worried about whether or not we would be stumbling into a bunch of people trying to rebuild.

Our main concerns (other than the condo) were whether or not the beach was eroded away, if businesses would be reopened, and if some places will have closed up for the year. We keep hearing that you can?t find gas anywhere, that a lot of restaurants are closed, businesses are cutting their losses and packing up for the season, and other media rumors. How true are these?

Having said that, I am still getting lots of requests for the upcoming winter/spring season.
My take on it is there are those people out there that consider the entire State of Florida wiped out. And then there are those that haven't paid a hill of beans attention to what's been going on down here.

[gtalum]

The public has a short collective memory. I doubt tourism will be affected much at all in the long-term. However, if we have another season next year like this year, then maybe you might start seeing an effect.

[inotherwords]

The economy would HAVE to be affected this year in a big way if a bunch of people can't stay where they've already booked rooms or rental houses, and then can't get other places because they're already rented or full.

Even if people are clueless about what happened here, they'll have to find out sooner or later once they inquire about housing accommodations.

Of course it probably won't have a long-term affect as most people will rebuild, the real question is how it will be affected THIS YEAR.

[chicagopizza]

Well, speaking as a tourist, if I couldn't find a hotel where I wanted to go in Florida, I would try other locations throught the state.

Perhaps GA residents will pick up the slack for tourists who can't locate hotel rooms. I have gotten amazing offers from Disney and plan on using them. If I can't, well day trips to Jacksonville are very easy and I'll spend my tourism dollars there. Either way, this tourist wouldn't consieder anything else-as long as I am not getting in someone's way or causing more harm than good by taking much needed supplies.

[frankthetank]

Gas prices might scare more people away then hurricane devastation....that is if they keep going up...

[yzerfan]

My family has a condo in Destin that came theough Ivan fine. According to their management company, they're expecting better than normal fall bookings this year- the people in the area to rebuild Pensacola after Ivan are going to need to stay somewhere, and the Destin condos have kitchens and such that make for a more comfortable 2-3 month stay than a hotel room.

Beyond that sort of thing, I can see FLA USA really cranking up the ad campaign come November and showcasing areas that came through the storms in good condition as new places to explore in the state.

My husband's suggestion for FLA USA's 2005 campaign. "Come see Florida- newly rebuilt for your enjoyment"

[Patrick99]

In Miami and the Keys, there's not so much as a palm frond out of place. Not yet, anyway.

[inotherwords]

Pretty much the same here in Sarasota/Venice. We were really lucky here. There will be places in the state people can still go and be able to enjoy a vacation. I'm just thinking, though, that a percentage of tourists who normally visit or who want to visit the most stricken areas will be out of luck, and that will impact the economy. I'm sure it's probably the same in most places, but I know a lot of people who come down and rent the same places year after year. I have a tenant coming back for her 6th season in a row in a couple of months. I would imagine that the loyal visitors to Pensacola or Stuart or some of the other hardest hit areas will be having to scramble.

[Persepone]

Of course we will come to Florida!

Some of us will come because we are "clueless" (as someone suggested); others will come because we are not clueless. Florida is still a wonderful place and nothing beats driving to the airport all bundled up against the cold and picking your way through the snow piles and a few hours later getting out into the warm air in Florida!

I'm not going to visit at the height of a disaster when I would be part of the problem and competing for scarce supplies of gas, bottled water, etc. but if I have a place to stay and I don't think I'm hurting people with my presence, then, sure, I'll come down!

Gas shortages are, I believe, very temporary and are a result of a zillion people all trying to fill their tanks and get gas cans filled for generators, etc.all within 72 hour periods of time. Once this is over, gas will be available. As for the price, regular is $2.15 or so at my local gas station yesterday (and probably will go up more today, more next week, etc.) so is something happening in Florida that is different? My impression has been for several years that in general gas is cheaper there when compared to the Northeast.

Florida has always been the "dream destination" for people in the Northeast. Everyone thinks of Florida as their "escape" destination during the winter--even if you don't have the time off from work or the money to go, that's where you dream of going, so when you do get the chance, that's where you go. Hurricanes won't change that.

My grandparents had photos and pictures of the 1926 hurricane (I inherited some of them) but they still thought Florida was the "winter vacation destination" even though they lost a house in that hurricane. They subsequently bought another one (sold long ago, alas).

On the other hand, I do think that the guy advertising the houses on the beach in Port St. Lucie is not going to be very successful. Some developer down there is spending a bunch of money on TV advertising here in the Boston area and his idyllic ads for the little houses on the beach in Port. St. Lucie run just before the news which featues the devastation in Port. St. Lucie. I do think he should pull his ads for a few weeks...

But people who are "loyal" visitors? The ones who return year after year to the same places? I'm sure they will make an effort to visit, even if they have to scramble for a place to stay because they probably have made good friends, etc. in the area. And even if they have to stay in another community, they will probably come and spend money in restaurants, etc. that are still open. People will want to spend their tourist dollars where they can do some good.

I know that if I ever visit the area where the bait shop woman stayed open to sell bread and milk to people just before hurricane Frances (mentioned by several on the board), I will go in and buy something because she deserves my business. And I never bought bait in my life! But apparently she does sell other stuff, so I will seek out the shop.

[wxwatcher2]

You know, when all is said and done, only a small percentage of the people in Florida were actually impacted in a major way by the hurricanes.
We all experienced power outages and some tree limbs down etc. But "most" of us did not loose our houses etc.

So, Florida is up and running.
That said, if some winter visitors elected to stay home this year it would mean less traffic on our already crowded roads.

[tronbunny]

I think there may actually be a small wave of those that will book vacations during hurricane season with the hopes of storm chasing.

just my opinion.

[Ixolib]

All I know is I wanna go to Sanibel and take advantage of all those shells that had to have washed up after FOUR (or is it five?) tropical systems impacted their coastline.

[inotherwords]

You know, when all is said and done, only a small percentage of the people in Florida were actually impacted in a major way by the hurricanes.

I heard somewhere that it was one in five households. But you know, here's what I'm talking about: Take Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda. Many of those displaced people whose homes are destroyed down there are now renting properties in Naples and Sarasota/Venice. So this means little or no room at the inn from Naples until, say, Bradenton, for the upcoming season. The central east coast and the panhandle: same thing. People who are not able to live in their homes along the coastal areas will be temporarily renting properties north and south of the worst areas there. Which means many more "no vacancies" during the season in those areas.

The people in my guest house are renting for six months, which is how long the insurance company told them it would take before their destroyed (manufactured) home would be cleared and the new one ordered and built. This means that my property is booked and unavailable now for any seasonal tenants. I'm thinking a similar scenario in other stricken areas will affect some pretty substantial tourist destinations during the upcoming season. Sure, there's always Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Tampa, so it's not everywhere, but I do think a lot of the state's tourist business is beach business, and that will be affected.

In addition, the displaced people, like my tenants, are pretty much living on fixed incomes and getting not a whole lot of spending money from the insurance companies, so I would imagine they'd be spending less than the tourists who would normally be renting here, and who eat at restaurants and spend a lot on local entertainment. This will also affect the local economy in a more negative way.

[nystate]

Airlines have been losing tons of money due to these hurricanes, so it could mean that fares to Florida will rise...

[JenyEliza]

I don't know about anyone else, and I haven't read through this entire thread yet...but I can tell you this.

We will go to FL next year at least twice...and we will take our wallets with us!!!

It's the least we can do to help Floridians out. I don't care if there's still debris sitting on roadsides next Spring Break (heaven forbid), we will be there. While our budget is tight, I will make sure to bring some of my GA money to FL and spend it.

We will NOT bail on FL!!!!

GO FLORIDA....you guys rock!

Jeny

[MGC]

I'll be headed down to Key West at the end of October for Fantasy Fest, then off to Miami for a cruise on Royal Caribbean. I'm not going to let a 4 hurricanes deter me.........MGC