I'm thinking tourism is taking a hit this summer. (Miami: transplants, sales)

[MOforthewin]

Continued from the snowbird thread we were posting on about the crowds and how it seems in May everything cleared out.

Anyway as I was posting before it seems the last few months restaurants have been really slow in the typical tourist areas.

I went to Fisherman's village tonight (friday night) at 5 and the place was dead. Usually it's slow in the summer but Friday nights are typically busier. It was perfect day outside and hardly anyone eating inside or outside.

Same as when I went to Sharkies a couple weeks ago. It was dead. I also own a small retail business and this summer has been awful foot traffic wise and people are spending less too.

I personally think locals are also cutting back on spending due to gas prices and inflation. At the grocery story we're noticing the customers also are not buying as much, especially meat.

Again, things are always slower in the summer, BUT this summer I'm noticing restaurants are a lot slower than they typically are.

Also noticing more houses on the market lately.

[PasDeSoleil]

Don't know if you're talking about Sarasota (city or county, unincorp) or Manatee (Bradenton, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria, Parrish,Myakka , LWR, Venice, etc) but the entire MSA has really never been a tourist area at all...seasonal, well yes, but even in the past 10 years and esp in the past 5 years, there has been tremendous growth in actually permanent residents who relocated here from other states and abroad.



Tourism is the bread and butter for cities/towns such as Miami, Orlando, Ft Lauderdale, Key West, Destin (but that's changed too), Panama City, St. Augustine, and too a lesser degree beach towns such as Clearwater Beach, etc.

[Sunshine Rules]

https://www.visitsarasota.com/articl...loves-tourists

From the site:


In CY2021 (January 2021 – December 2021):

3,008,900 Visitors to Sarasota County. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic dramatically impacting 2020 numbers, this was a 51.4% increase over the prior year.

More than $2,2 billion in direct expenditures from visitors. This includes accommodations, restaurants, shopping, attractions, entertainment, groceries, transportation and other expenses.

$3.6 billion in total economic impact. This also includes increased spending from households and businesses as a result of tourism dollars.

More than 3.1 million room nights generated.


Our area offers something Orlando can't provide -- miles upon miles of pristine public beaches.

Sarasota and Manatee counties actually are tourism destinations. Visitors are attracted to our beaches (Siesta Key Beach is world known), the variety of arts and culture, events, outdoor adventures such as kayaking. Added into that is the growing number of visitors for the various rowing events at Benderson Park and sports events at Lakewood Ranch's Premier Sports Campus.

Much of the tourism occurs during the fall thru spring time period, but events such as the Offshore Power Boats/Suncoast Summerfest & Dragon Boat Races in July are bringing tourists to our area at a time when traditional tourism slows down substantially due to the heat and humidity.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

https://www.visitsarasota.com/articl...loves-tourists

From the site:


In CY2021 (January 2021 – December 2021):

3,008,900 Visitors to Sarasota County. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic dramatically impacting 2020 numbers, this was a 51.4% increase over the prior year.

More than $2,2 billion in direct expenditures from visitors. This includes accommodations, restaurants, shopping, attractions, entertainment, groceries, transportation and other expenses.

$3.6 billion in total economic impact. This also includes increased spending from households and businesses as a result of tourism dollars.

More than 3.1 million room nights generated.


Our area offers something Orlando can't provide -- miles upon miles of pristine public beaches.

Sarasota and Manatee counties actually are tourism destinations. Visitors are attracted to our beaches (Siesta Key Beach is world known), the variety of arts and culture, events, outdoor adventures such as kayaking. Added into that is the growing number of visitors for the various rowing events at Benderson Park and sports events at Lakewood Ranch's Premier Sports Campus.

Much of the tourism occurs during the fall thru spring time period, but events such as the Offshore Power Boats/Suncoast Summerfest & Dragon Boat Races in July are bringing tourists to our area at a time when traditional tourism slows down substantially due to the heat and humidity.

I'm sure not seeing a slowdown in Sarasota (and Bradenton). We have been going to Lido Beach the past several times down to our weekend house and it is always packed - street parking and lot parking and these are weekdays mind you. Restaurants almost any time of day are busy. This time of year I used to see almost NO ONE in the summer - now it's like season never ended. Was downtown Sarasota this am, went to breafast at Station 400 and the place inside and out was completely packed! Nope, I am not seeing a downtown at all.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I'm sure not seeing a slowdown in Sarasota (and Bradenton). We have been going to Lido Beach the past several times down to our weekend house and it is always packed - street parking and lot parking and these are weekdays mind you. Restaurants almost any time of day are busy. This time of year I used to see almost NO ONE in the summer - now it's like season never ended. Was downtown Sarasota this am, went to breafast at Station 400 and the place inside and out was completely packed! Nope, I am not seeing a downtown at all.

Odd. Ain't like that down here in Venice, Englewood and Punta Gorda. Last two times I went to Venice Beach on a weekday evening it was really slow at the beach and at Sharkies. Went to Englewood Beach a few weeks ago and Lock and Key wasn't busy at all.

[PasDeSoleil]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I'm sure not seeing a slowdown in Sarasota (and Bradenton). We have been going to Lido Beach the past several times down to our weekend house and it is always packed - street parking and lot parking and these are weekdays mind you. Restaurants almost any time of day are busy. This time of year I used to see almost NO ONE in the summer - now it's like season never ended. Was downtown Sarasota this am, went to breafast at Station 400 and the place inside and out was completely packed! Nope, I am not seeing a downtown at all.

I assume you meant "downturn".


You're correct, this is what I'm speaking about. Those spikes and seasonal downturns around MOST of Sarasota and Bradenton, practically don't exist anymore....for the last 10 or so years.


Also it's a complete misnomer and mistake to conflate "Visitors" with "tourists". They are NOT the same, not really. "Visitors" who are actually seasonal residents are sometimes erroneously counted as TOURISTS, which is dead wrong. It's a stretch, but I suppose all seasonal residents could be counted as "visitors" but they are not really, and they darn sure aren't "tourists" one bit.


Convention and tourist bureaus conflate and report all kinds of bad or incomplete data.


Most any thinking and rational person knows that the vast influx and growth of house and condo purchases aren't being executed by "tourists". The massive growth in house sales in vast Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, Palmetto, West Bradenton, Palmer Ranch, Anna Maria, Downtown Sarasota, Longboat Key, re-sales around University Park, Whitfield, all around Upper Manatee, Rangeland etc etc are NOT being populated/fueled by transient "tourists". That's patently false. In addition, the massive influx of huge apartment complexes in Manatee, and being built in Sarasota County now are not leased to, or occupied by "tourists" who go to several local attractions/events, then 2 weeks later pack up and go home to Michigan or China.


The very high-end downtown highrise condos in the millions of dollars are not being purchased by "tourists" either. That too is a myth.



This area is not the old 1978 to 1990 pattern. That horse has left the barn.


By the way, just look at the massive explosion and building of grammar, middle, and high schools all around Manatee and to a lesser degree, Sarasota County. These expensive additions aren't being built to accommodate adult "tourists" and their children. They are being built to serve permanent residents and citizens of the respective counties.


This area has never been overly dependent on "tourists".... that seems more true now than ever before. Are there "tourist" attractions? well yes, and NO. There are EVENTS that do and will attract "visitors" and perhaps "tourists" for sure. This area really has no "Orlando-like" theme parks, amusement parks, famous zoos,, Nascar stadium/tracks, Entertainment Districts (think Printers Alley, Beale Street, Bourbon Street, International Drive, or the new project to revive Underground Atlanta).


Nope I don't see or live around throngs of people that are tourists...some seasonal, yes....but even the seasonal ones are becoming permanent....just drive around east Manatee County LOL, or Cortez right now in mid-summer.


Massive Lakewood Ranch is not a tourist zone....never has been, never will. They aren't leaving like folks did after April 15th or Easter. that's a myth.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Odd. Ain't like that down here in Venice, Englewood and Punta Gorda. Last two times I went to Venice Beach on a weekday evening it was really slow at the beach and at Sharkies. Went to Englewood Beach a few weeks ago and Lock and Key wasn't busy at all.

I don't see any slowdown here in either Port Charlotte or Punta Gorda. They sure don't look like the dead zones you describe.

The people we are seeing may be transplants, not seasonal snowbirds, but there are a lot of them.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I don't see any slowdown here in either Port Charlotte or Punta Gorda. They sure don't look like the dead zones you describe.

The people we are seeing may be transplants, not seasonal snowbirds, but there are a lot of them.

Well publix and walmart are certainly not very busy unlike the middle of feb.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

Well publix and walmart are certainly not very busy unlike the middle of feb.

I haven't been in a Publix lately, but the Walmarts on Cochran Blvd. in Port Charlotte and on Tucker's Grade in Punta Gorda look much busier than I have seen them in years past during the summers.

I try to avoid the Publix on the Trail in Punta Gorda, mainly as the parking lot, and even the turn lane getting into the parking lot is a nightmare, that's especially during snowbird season. I see the parking lot there is pretty much full all the time, with people vying for parking spots.

I still think it's transplants, many many transplants driving up those businesses these days.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by Travelassie

I haven't been in a Publix lately, but the Walmarts on Cochran Blvd. in Port Charlotte and on Tucker's Grade in Punta Gorda look much busier than I have seen them in years past during the summers.

I try to avoid the Publix on the Trail in Punta Gorda, mainly as the parking lot, and even the turn lane getting into the parking lot is a nightmare, that's especially during snowbird season. I see the parking lot there is pretty much full all the time, with people vying for parking spots.

I still think it's transplants, many many transplants driving up those businesses these days.

Also aldi and walmart I'm noticing more people buying groceries there too due to inflation. I work at a local publix part time and noticing people buying less meats there.