Coast is clear

“Florida coast suffers oil spill impacts.”

“BP oil spill to destroy Florida’s coast.”

“Oil from BP spill washes ashore Florida’s beaches.”

These were a few of the headlines featured on TVs and in newspapers throughout the United States and around the world after the April Deepwater Horizon oil spill. And, for some of Florida’s Panhandle beaches, they turned out to be true. But, although oil lingered hundreds of miles away from Longboat Key and the Sarasota-Manatee area and was unlikely to spread to local beaches, tourism officials, along with hotel and resort owners, were worried that tourists would not get word that the area had not been impacted by oil.

But, it turns out tourists did get the message — at least for the most part. Local hotel and motel owners report that the summer’s numbers ranged from small declines compared to the same time last year to increases in occupancy. According to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council, occupancy rates for the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key for June and July of this year were 54.6% and 60.6%, compared to 62% and 60.8% for the same months in 2009. The Sarasota County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which does not have Longboat Key-specific data, reports that county-wide occupancy rates were 57.7% in June and 55.7% in July, a slight increase from last year’s rates of 56.6% and 54.6%.

At Sun Resorts International, which manages vacation properties on Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island, Maureen Florio, reservations manager, estimated that this summer’s occupancy rates were 5% higher than last summer’s rates. She said that, although the company received some inquiries about the oil spill, they also received a slight boost from visitors who normally vacation in the Panhandle.

“We had a little bit better of a summer than we typically do,” Florio said.

D.M. Williams, general manager of Casa del Mar, said that although the resort received six cancellations because of oil-related concerns earlier in the summer, bookings are strong for September, with a 75% occupancy rate over the recent Labor Day weekend, compared to the 10% to 15% that is typical during the entire month of September.

Mary Kay Ryan, director of sales at the Longboat Key Club and Resort, said that oil-spill concerns at the beginning of the summer also impacted the resort.

“June was the first time we started feeling some tangible impact,” Ryan said. “Calls were down by 10%, and the number of inquiries people were making about the oil spill were up … but then July started to even out a little bit.”

Angel Puckett, manager of Turtle Crawl Inn and owner of Angel’s Vacation Rentals, said that occupancy of rental units has been as much as 40% higher than last year during the summer months. Puckett said that the resort received multiple reservations from visitors who canceled vacation plans in oil-impacted areas.

“They’re starting to slow down now because school has started, but we had a fairly decent July and August,” she said. “We’re not getting anymore phone calls about the oil. People are very slowly getting back in the swing for short vacations.”

And, at Florida Vacation Connection, President Michele Knuese said that occupancy rates were 25% higher in May, June and July than they were for the previous year, although August’s numbers have dipped slightly.

“I’m very surprised and very happy,” she said. “I think maybe consumer confidence is up just a little bit.”

Satisfaction guaranteed
To combat fears about oil impacts, many resorts instituted policies that would allow guests to cancel their reservations in the event that oil washed ashore locally.

The Key Club, which typically requires a seven-day notice to cancel reservations during the summer, instituted a clean-beach guarantee in which guests could cancel with 24 hours notice in the event that oil reached local beaches.

“We were really just trying to make people feel comfortable about making reservations,” Ryan said.

Puckett said that she drew visitors in by guaranteeing a refund in the event of an oil impact and by offering specials, such as four nights for the price of three.

Williams also told guests that he would refund their money in the event of an oil impact and also sent out a weekly e-mail notice reminding guests that Longboat’s beaches were oil-free. He also offered major discounts, such as two weeks for the price of one in September.

“We’ve never done a special like that,” Williams said. “Everybody is looking for a deal.”

Future forecast
Local hotels and motels report optimism about the fall and winter seasons — typically the busiest on Longboat Key.

At the Key Club, Ryan said that current forecasts suggest that occupancy will be 5% to 7% higher for the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009, with strong growth in its group market.

According to Ryan, guests are increasingly making last-minute plans. On the Wednesday before Labor Day weekend, the resort received 17 bookings for that weekend.

Williams said that although September is too early to make an official forecast for peak season, bookings at the resort for the first four months of 2011 at Casa del Mar are likely to be stronger than the same period this year. The month of March is almost entirely booked.

Florio said that, after Labor Day, phone calls and inquiries usually pick up as visitors prepare for the winter season. According to Florio, guests are taking slightly longer to solidify their plans, because they negotiate more on price than in the past. She said interest has been strong over the past week.

Like many in the tourism industry, Florio is optimistic that the new visitors who traveled to Longboat Key during the summer will be back.

“We did everything in our power to make them love it,” she said.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected]


CONDOR PLANS GROUNDED
Although tourism officials are optimistic about the upcoming season, visitors won’t be arriving to the area via Condor Airlines. On Sept. 1, the German airline announced that it would not offer direct flights between Frankfurt, Germany, and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ). The airline cited potential oil-spill impacts as one factor behind its decision.