The devastating impacts of Hurricane Ian nonetheless linger all through Southwest Florida’s communities, persevering with to have an effect on the variety of guests who come right here and enhance the native financial system.
As this previous week was acknowledged nationally as Journey and Tourism Week, Lee County Customer & Conference Bureau Government Director Tamara Pigott introduced probably the most up-to-date info on this previous season on the Vacationer Growth Council assembly Thursday morning.
The numbers, as anticipated post-Ian, weren’t good.
Mattress Tax collections for the month of March got here in at $5,728,042, down 47.8% from 2022. By way of Mattress Tax for this fiscal 12 months up to now, $22,199,122 has been collected, down 44.2% in comparison with final fiscal 12 months.
Vacationer Growth Tax Assortment from fiscal 12 months 22-23 is down considerably from FY 21-22. For March of FY 22-23, $438,993 was collected in comparison with FY 21-22, when $11,351,628 was collected. From October of FY 22-23 to present date, Vacationer Growth Tax Assortment are down from FY 21-22.
In relation to lodge numbers, occupancy in March was 80.2%, down 6% from 2022. The typical day by day charge was $246.51, down 15.4% from 2022, with income per accessible room at $197.69, down 20.5% from the identical time final 12 months.
“After all, the entire metrics you’re going to see are down,” Pigott mentioned. “No shock.”
For trip leases, occupancy is down 50.5% from final 12 months, as is the common day by day charge.
With RSW celebrating its fortieth 12 months, Pigott mentioned in March, 1,166,442 passengers got here by means of the airport, down 23% from 2022. For the calendar 12 months up to now, 3,066,754 passengers have come by means of RSW, down 17.3% from the identical time final 12 months.
President/Accomplice at Downs & St. Germain Analysis, Joseph St. Germain, introduced the January-March 2023 quarterly report customer monitoring, occupancy, and financial affect. He mentioned whereas in some regards January by means of March was nonetheless “busy,” the info exhibits numbers reducing throughout the board and with completely different sorts of tourists.
“(This time of 12 months is) largely crammed with a whole lot of leisure guests, folks coming for trip,” St. Germain mentioned. “One of many issues we seen this time is there’s simply extra purposeful visiting, which means coming to see mother and pa, or a sporting occasion like Spring Coaching, or for a gathering or what have you ever, and fewer of that normal leisure.”
Customer and lodging statistics present a 34.6% drop off in guests from January by means of March of 2023 in comparison with 2022, totaling 736,300. Customer days had been down 28.6%, room nights down 30.6%, and direct expenditures down 31.4%.
The entire financial affect in {dollars} of these months from 2022 to 2023 is down 31.1% — with $1,548,508,200 being collected in 2023 down from $2,247,346,400 in 2022.
“It’s by no means enjoyable to see the detrimental,” St. Germain mentioned, including the year-to-year guests coming to remain of their second house or with a relative didn’t transfer a lot from ’22 to ’23. “There have been loads much less folks staying in motels, motels — paid lodging. As a result of these models weren’t accessible or issues of that nature.
“When you go to your mother and pa each February, most of them nonetheless got here again this February, most of them simply stayed with mother and pa versus a lodge/motel/resort.”
St. Germain mentioned a motive the drop-off numbers from 2022 to 2023 are so drastic in actually credited to how good 2022 was for Southwest Florida.
“These numbers look down since you’re not solely having a hurricane to cope with, however coming off such an excellent 12 months,” he mentioned.
In relation to vacationer locations inland versus coastal, St. Germain mentioned inland motels and resorts are almost again to full operation.
“Inland could be very near again to what it was when it comes to availability in models,” St. Germain mentioned. “Occupancy was down a little bit bit, however charges had been up and issues of that nature. As you get better, inland is near what it was once. As you have a look at (coastal) particularly the accessible models, that’s the place we see our greatest decreases.”
From October to December of FY2023, accessible room nights for coastal spots are down 69.1%, and down 57.1% when January by means of March.
“There are only a few models open on Sanibel, Fort Myers Seaside,” Pigott mentioned. “Very, only a few.”
In relation to inland, accessible room nights are down simply 4% from January by means of March in comparison with final fiscal 12 months. General, 69.1% of lodge/motels/resorts/leases are working all through the county as of March.
“We’ve been at (69%) for some time, and I believe that’s the place we’re going to be,” Pigott mentioned. “Most of what we’re speaking about is main renovation or rebuild going ahead.
“The availability chain points round electrical tools, there’s an enormous delay. Even once you’re able to go, you’re hampered by a few of these components and tools it is advisable make your property work.”
St. Germain introduced a statistic that confirmed 58% of tourists thought-about selecting different locations when planning their journey, a rise of 38% from January to March of 2022.
“This 12 months, three out of 5 of your guests thought-about different locations earlier than finally selecting right here,” he mentioned. “That’s the best quantity that we’ve seen. It mainly means your messaging, your advertising, issues of that nature, it’s a must to struggle tougher to get your present guests given what you will have.”
As for individuals who selected Lee County, 33% got here to loosen up and unwind, whereas 28% came over buddies and relations, and 16% to see sporting occasions.
By way of the place persons are coming from probably the most, 37.4% traveled from the Midwest, 20.6% from the Southeast, and 19.3% from the Northeast.
“Publish-hurricane, worldwide hasn’t gotten again to pre-pandemic ranges,” St. Germain mentioned. “We had been beginning to get again after which it form of pale a little bit bit with the hurricane.”
Guests spent a median of 8.3 nights, and 25% had been first-time guests.
“We aren’t backing off the worldwide market,” Pigott mentioned. “We all know the worth of it. We now have a whole lot of particular issues deliberate and having a press convention displaying our restoration up to now.”
Sanibel and Captiva
Summer time is often the slower a part of the 12 months for the islands, however officers are anticipating a season like none skilled earlier than for 2023 as the continued restoration and rebuilding efforts attributable to Hurricane Ian will likely be a long-term journey for the group.
“We predict it to look very completely different than what we’ve in all probability ever seen earlier than,” SanCapChamber President and Chief Government Officer John Lai mentioned.
He defined that there’s a “large” scarcity of lodging models accessible. Earlier than the storm, there have been about 2,600 models throughout Sanibel-Captiva. As of early Might, about 200 models had been operational.
“We don’t count on that quantity to alter considerably within the subsequent few months,” Lai mentioned, including that officers do consider the present stock would possibly double although by the top of the summer time season.
He famous that 95% of the islands’ financial system is tourism-driven.
“When that’s the case, lodging is vital,” Lai mentioned.
“Ian is actually going to have a devastating impact on our 2023 12 months, each within the winter season and our summer time season,” he added.
Nonetheless, officers are optimist in regards to the future due to the progress made to date.
“All of our seaside services, except Lighthouse Park, are open,” Lai mentioned, noting that seaside shorelines alongside each Sanibel and Captiva look nice, plus the water high quality is superb.
“We’ve seen about 76 companies reopen,” he added of the islands, explaining that they’re doing very well, particularly the companies within the seaside rental business, like golf carts and seaside gadgets.
Lai identified the reopening of the J.N. “Ding” Darling Nationwide Wildlife Refuge.
“Which is a big draw for us,” he mentioned.
Among the many reopened companies are eating places on each islands. Lai defined that the chamber is collaborating with them to make sure that they’re being promoted at each accessible alternative. Additionally, the chamber is engaged on protecting day-trippers updated and conscious of what’s open and what’s not.
Subsequent week, the chamber will reopen its Francis P. Bailey Jr. Customer Middle.
“Which is vital,” he mentioned. “As a result of we will direct folks to the suitable locations.”
Due to the diminished lodging for the summer time, the chamber is specializing in drawing inland properties and surrounding counties to come back, go to the seaside, have lunch or buy groceries, after which head house.
“We’re in a special state proper now,” Lai mentioned. “We’re attempting our hand at attracting the day-trippers.”
As for the fall-winter “season,” usually the busiest time of the 12 months, the information was not all dangerous.
“There’s motive to be optimistic,” he mentioned, citing visitors rely figures. “Lots of that has to do with the folks serving to to rebuild our islands. They did give a pleasant bump to the eating places that reopened.”
“What we’re listening to is that they had very robust February and March numbers,” Lai added.
Statewide, a busy summer time season projected
As Southwest Florida continues to rebuild, forecasters are predicting a busy Sunshine State after a down “season” following Hurricane Ian.
In accordance with statistics from a brand new AAA – The Auto Membership Group, 83% of Floridians plan to journey this 12 months, with greater than half taking a summer time trip. The most well-liked holidays being deliberate are: seaside locations (40%), theme parks (37%), metropolis/main metro (27%), resort trip (25%), and nationwide/state park (22%).
“Journey demand has come roaring again this summer time and we’re already seeing giant crowds at fashionable home and worldwide journey locations,” said Vice President of Journey for AAA, Debbie Haas. “The current resolution to raise all worldwide journey restrictions will solely add to demand.”
