Pandemic taking a toll on number of visitors to Bradenton from everywhere. Except Florida
In the past seven days, there have been 386,726 new cases of COVID-19 reported nationwide as a majority of states face an upswing in cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That’s not good news in general. Or specifically for tourism, the heartbeat of the Manatee County economy.
The rise in cases helped drive down traveler sentiment in October, after being on the rise in August and September, Anne Wittine of Research Data Associates, said Monday in her report to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.
Only 27.5 percent of those surveyed said that they are ready to travel in the next three months, Wittine said.
From October of 2019 to August of 2020, the only segment of visitors to the Bradenton area and Manatee County beaches to show a gain were those from other parts of Florida, up 35.9 percent. But those visitors typically stay for a shorter time and spend less money than other traditional visitors.
Visits from all other areas that have in the past been strong contributors to Bradenton area tourism were down, including by 30.5 percent from the Northeast, 30.9 percent from Canada, 24.8 percent from the Midwest and 46 percent from Europe.
Narrowing the focus to the month of August, compared to the same month a year ago, shows that there was no tourism from Canada or Europe due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Tourism from the Northeast was down 44.5 percent, and from the Midwest travel was down 20.4 percent.
The primary bright spot was travel from other parts of Florida, which was up 88 percent in August, Wittine reported.
In light of the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said his staff is monitoring conditions on a near daily basis to focus marketing efforts.
Using a $235,000 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, grant, the TDC is promoting a “Unwind With Peace of Mind” digital marketing campaign aimed at the two-day drive market, including Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Kentucky. The first phase of that campaign targets boomer couples, women 35 to 63, and households with income of $120,000. Secondly, the campaign focuses on families with one or more children, women 30-64, and households with an income of $100,000.
In other business Monday, the TDC voted unanimously to recommend the Manatee County Commission budget $425,00 of tourist bed tax money to market the Under 18 Baseball World Cup, Sept. 10-20, 2021.
The championships would be played in the United States for the first time since 1995. Games would be played at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training home in Bradenton, LECOM Field and at the Baltimore Orioles’ spring training home in Sarasota, Ed Smith Stadium.
The projected economic impact of the games between teams from 12 countries is estimated at $6 million, Falcione said.
With 6,200 room nights anticipated, the championships would help push business to mainland innkeepers who are suffering a greater loss of business than the island resorts.
“We want to push business toward the mainland businesses. The mainland businesses really need a push,” Falcione said.
The money could possibly come from unspent TDC funds, which are available due to spending cutbacks resulting from the pandemic.
The TDC also approved a recommendation to the county commission to budget $450,000 for an airline incentive program for new nonstop flights at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. Most of the money would go to Allegiant which has brought 19 new flights to SRQ.
