Manatee County tourism draws 962,500 visitors April-June
By Lisa Neff
An estimated 962,500 visitors came to Manatee County from April through June, generating about $686.3 million in direct spending, according to a visitor-tracking report presented to the county tourist development council.
Looking back to the April-June quarter in an Aug. 17 presentation to the TDC, Isiah Lewis of Downs & St. Germain reported a trend he characterized as “burnout booking.”
“Visitors coming from the Northeast and the Midwest, they were looking in that March-February window, when it’s freezing cold up there, and decided to book their trip,” Lewis said.
About 37% of visitors during the period planned their trip less than two months ahead of travel.
The council, which advises county commissioners and the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau on tourism-related spending, projects and policies, met at the Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.
Most council meetings include a report on visitor numbers and tourism’s impact.
Here’s a look at April-June:
• Total visitors: Of the estimated 962,500 visitors to Manatee, 551,400 stayed in paid accommodations, accounting for 732,200 room nights.
• Direct spending: Direct spending for visitors was estimated at $686,337,200, including $441,707,900 for paid accommodations.
• Lodging: Combined occupancy of accommodations was at 70.1% for the period. The average daily rate was $301.
Hotel occupancy was 70.6%, with an average daily rate of $174 while vacation rental occupancy was 69.7% with an average daily rate of $461.
• Visitor origins: The largest share of visitors from a single domestic market, 6.8%, came from the Tampa-St. Pete area, followed by New York, Chicago, Columbus, Philadelphia, Boston and Cincinnati, with shares ranging from 4.9% to 2.5%.
“We saw 13.5% of our visitors coming from Florida,” Lewis said.
Looking at the origins of visitors staying in paid accommodations, New York City was No. 1 at 5.5%, followed by Tampa-St. Pete, Chicago and Boston.
About 74% of visitors had previously traveled to Manatee County.
• Visitor profile: About 43% of visitors were traveling as a couple, 26% were first-time visitors. The median age was 54 years old and the median household income was $133,300.
“We have a very high median household income,” Lewis said.
• Travel: About 55% of visitors arrived by vehicle and 45% arrived by plane, including 29% arriving via Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, 12% arriving via Tampa International and 2% arriving via Orlando International.
• Visitor activities: Beachgoing and dining continue to define the visitor experience in Manatee County. About 91% of visitors during the period went to the beach and 80% dined out. Spending time with family and friends was the third most common activity, followed by shopping.
“We do see large leisure visitors here,” Lewis said.
He concluded his report with an assessment of visitor loyalty.
“When we look at trip satisfaction, we saw 98% of visitors said that they were very satisfied or satisfied with their trip,” he said. “And then 97% said they were very likely or likely to return to the destination.”