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Economy, storms blamed for tourism drop in Naples area
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NAPLES — A sunny summer turned cloudy for hoteliers in Collier County in September.
After the county saw visitor numbers rise in June, July and August, they fell 12.9 percent last month. Room nights were off 13.1 percent and direct expenditures declined 6.2 percent, according to the county’s Tampa-based tourism consultant Research Data Services Inc.
Most of the blame is put on the stormy weather Labor Day weekend.
As the three-day holiday approached, two tropical storms — Gustav and Hanna — threatened to bring rain and wind to Southwest Florida. It turned out to be a soggy weekend.
With the bad weather, hoteliers saw cancellations and fewer bookings.
“We still did all right in comparison to other destinations, but that was our challenge,” said Jack Wert, executive director of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Drivers from Florida’s east coast didn’t come in droves like they usually do; they had nicer weather at home.
Visitation has been up every other month this year in Collier County.
In September, the county had 57,700 visitors, compared to 66,270 a year ago, the report shows. There were 102,300 room nights booked, down from 117,740 last year.
Last month, direct visitor expenditures were less than $23.5 million, compared to nearly $25 million the year before. Hotel occupancy rates dropped 14 percent to 39.2 percent, according to the report.
Tourist tax collections have been trending up this year. But the numbers are not yet available for September. A 4 percent charge is collected on all hotel and other short-term stays in the county.
Walter Klages, president of Research Data Services, said the decline in visitation isn’t as bad as it seems. With so many condominiums on the market in Southwest Florida more are being rented out to tourists, making it more difficult to get all the visitors counted, he said.
“We are underestimating by 10 to 15 percent right now,” Klages said.
His firm is working hard to try to capture the tourists who are staying in condominiums. But it’s going to take time, he said.
The nation’s economic crisis also curbed tourism in Collier County in September, Klages said. “Keep in mind that gas prices at the time were still in the $4 range,” he said. “It would have affected people.”
The average daily room rate dropped in September by 1.4 percent to $104.60. That’s to be expected with the economy in such turmoil, and so many people pulling back on their expenses, Klages said.
“These are tough times,” he said. “There is no question about it.”
Collier County saw a 20.8 percent decline in visitors from within the state in September. There were 26,081, compared to 32,936 a year ago.
In the U.S., travel was down 17.7 percent from the Southeast, 20.6 percent from the Northeast, and 25.7 percent from the Midwest.
Canadian visitation dropped 21.7 percent.
Meanwhile, travel from Europe remained strong. There were 12,117 visitors last month — up 52.4 percent from 7,952 a year ago. That helped make up for the losses from other markets.
Though the dollar has strengthened in recent weeks, it’s still weak against the euro.
“We still are a bargain,” Klages said.
Comments
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Economy, storms in addition to poor politics would be be a better excuse, wouldn't it?
How about the high cost of living?
Lack of jobs?
CCSO?
CCPS?
How about the fact that Collier County impact fees on an average 3/2 are STILL 30K?
Foreclosure rate?
Rising crime statistics?
#1 Posted by Jadip811 on October 27, 2008 at 11:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Geez Jadip, why not wish a hurricane or two on Collier County while U R at it?
The tourists are here, and they had their cars delivered from up north on semis, maybe only one mercedes this year is delivered instead of two to save money on gas.
COME ON...Jadip R U kidding me...this is Collier County....tourists here are the upper of the upper, and they don't mind this sluggish economy. They feel it, but they don't feel it as much as U do, or Beetle does.
There is a definite class distinction on whether or not tourists "feel" the pinch yet.
#2 Posted by beetlejuice on October 27, 2008 at 11:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have to agree with beetle on this one, the people that come here for the winter, to stay in one of their other homes, aren't efected like all of us that still work for a living.
Hopefully they all will come down this year and spend spend spend. Its getting cold up north.
#3 Posted by RainMan on October 28, 2008 at 7 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The City of Naples missed the opportunity to maintain interest in Naples, when it failed to rebut all of the national media which began to "dump" on Naples when their weather trucks left Mayor Barnett sitting on top of the tree in front of City Hall, after the hurricane. How many "Naples is the most overvalued housing market in the Nation" articles were printed since that time? The City of Naples should have immediately began a marketing campaign up North and sold the notion that we still are the "Rob Report" place to visit, just as we were in 2004 and 2005. The City of Naples, or that area West of US-41, is not the most overvalued in the Nation and is not the failing developments along I-75. The national press, needing to sell its "National Enquirer" style garbage, believes Naples to include everything to the Broward County Line. Port Royal, Aqualane, Old Naples, Coquina Sands, the Moorings and Park Shore are not being foreclosed and auctioned. Our beach and golf courses should, by any comparison, be included within any list of the best in the continental United States. What area of the Country had better weather these past two Winters? Really, that should include the past two Falls and Springs, ask anyone who came down late or left early.
When the perception that Naples became "has been" was not rebutted by the so called leaders of this city, and Naples was allowed to become the place no longer to be seen or tell ones peers in the office or club that "I am taking my wife to" or "all of my golf buddies and I are going to" Naples, the image of this City fell off the table and into the trash can.
Sell the City of Naples up in New York, Boston, Chicago and the Northern cities were all of young or youthfully spirited people with money can be found and make Naples "Cool" again. They will come back and hotels will have guests, businesses with have customers and the homes will sell.
#4 Posted by LookingForLeaders on October 28, 2008 at 7:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good post LookingForLeaders. When are you going to run for office?
#5 Posted by cornandbeans on October 28, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What are you talking about? Naples is overpriced.
#6 Posted by Sanity on October 28, 2008 at 7:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In case no one noticed, the article states that tourism was up every month this year from the year before, and that includes the fact that they are underesitmating by 10-15%. Those sound like pretty good numbers, so why all the negative comments?
#7 Posted by matt on October 28, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't remember any storms coming this way this year? Are they kidding?
#8 Posted by BringItOn on October 28, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One portion of tourism that will suffer all winter is group travel to corporate meetings and conventions.
The companies either a) can't afford the trips due to budget cutbacks, or b) can't afford the bad publicity that goes along with lavish, luxurious get-togethers.
The big resorts and upscale restaurants are going to feel it in a big way.
#9 Posted by bananas8187 on October 28, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Alot of poor judgements over the years have been hurting naples tourism. Parking problems,excess ticket writing. tourists get the feel they are unwanted. I can go somewhere else where im not harrased.
#10 Posted by n7lima on October 28, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey! I get to agree with Rockford on something! Mostly, you're right Rockford, snowbirds do ship their cars. The snowbirds who don't ship their cars tow them behind their motorhomes. Million dollar motorhomes, but motorhomes nonetheless.
#11 Posted by rocknfla on October 28, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Agreed Rock. THere are more snowbirds that come down here, stay in their 40 yr old condos, go to earlybirds and happy hours with free food. They dont help the economy like the used too. All they do now is complain.
#12 Posted by trehuger on October 28, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
#2 Posted by beetlejuice
Oh I forgot hurricanes, thanks beetle.
I'm not wishing anything ill or evil natured on Collier but you have to take all those things in considerations I think.
Is so hard to believe Collier is shrinking rather then growing like it has for the last several decades?
That it has actually gotten worse living here and NOT better in many ways?
That some or all of those things are actually driving new and long time residents away pernanently?
That the Collier from even a short 5-10 years ago is long,long gone never to return?
That maybe all those things, or maybe none of them have had a profound and detrimental impact on the population here?
I will freely admit I want out of here in the worst way, but I'm stuck like chuck with a home and it seems I will be here for at least a few more years unfortunately. Lucky you huh? LOL
No kids, but family members and a home that I built that I could maybe get what I have into it, maybe.
#13 Posted by Jadip811 on October 28, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone who complains about "snowbirds" and thinks that they do not contribute to our local economy is obviously suffering from some closed-minded ignorance. These people live here seasonally and their friends and family visit as well and all of this contributes plenty of money into our economy! They visit Doctors, they are the ones in the restaurants during the day while we are working.Their families visit and go to all of the over-priced Naples tourist traps! They grocery shop, hit the golf courses, pay the parking meters, etc...etc....etc. If there were no "snowbirds" then there would be an even worse economy in an area that is already suffering badly. I work in a line of work that unfortunately allows me to see the worst and best of Naples: a pawn shop! And one thing I can assure you is that right now its locals that are bringing in everything but their children to pawn so they can buy bread....yet every old "snowbird" I meet seems to be pulling out money to buy stuff???? Hmmmmmm......
#14 Posted by br7o7wn on October 28, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This article is about excuses pure and simple, why not blame it on something that no one has any control over?
Rather then be honest and freely admit things are pretty f***ed up here and more then storms and the poor economy are to blame for the downward slide.
#15 Posted by Jadip811 on October 28, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's just hope Season brings enough money in to help us get through this bad economic spell. It's hard to imagine any bad feelings for "outsiders" when you have your hand out looking for a tip.
#16 Posted by Bubby on October 28, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LookingForLeaders.....while I agree with you, most in Naples don't want it to be cool. City Council does everything to make this an over 65 retirement community. When you are worried about noise from restaurants past 9;00 PM, you don't get anywhere near "cool". Cool would mean having fun. The grumpys down here in Naples just want to day trade their stocks and be in bed by 8:00 PM.
#17 Posted by Philly on October 29, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Snowbirds are not going to help the economy anymore. Naples has to learn to be self sufficient like any other city. The cost of living HAS to come down. You can't get rich from selling one or two houses anymore. The housing market was totally outrageous anyway.
Why have wages in Collier been lower than the national average for years when the cost of living is higher than the national average? GREEDY BUSINESS OWNERS, GREEDY POLITITIANS, and SELFISH, GREEDY RESIDENTS "keeping the rif-raf out of Collier."
If anyone has really payed attention to Collier in the past 20 years, they would have noticed the number of greedy, selfish people has been on the rise for a long time(not only in collier). They are the same people that are helping to destroy our economy and our planet.
Yes, I have an issue with rotten people. Doesn't matter how much money they have or don't have. An a** is an a**.
One more thing, I'm not getting out of the way or going around another *** person that wants to stop in the middle of a busy road to look at something or who is driving 10 miles under the speed limit. Just tired of the "burdens on society" that we have here.
#18 Posted by 3i3am3 on October 29, 2008 at 7:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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