Red tide put a damper on Naples’ hotel industry, but not its overall numbers
The city on Florida’s west coast is returning to normal after the algae blooms kept visitors away from beaches during the summer and fall.
Once a small, quaint city where everybody knows each other, Naples, Fla. has quickly blossomed into one of the most well-known, lavish retirement and vacation towns in North America.
But from the months of August through October, the state took a blow to its economy and environment when pesky red tide infested the many famous beaches that Floridians call home.
Known for its sunny weather, bright downtown aura and pristine beaches, Naples is a melting pot for those key ingredients bulked into one during peak season.
For Naples, thousands flocked to the lively, groomed city in the summer and early fall, regardless of the crisis happening in Naples’ surrounding cities.
The luxurious city was battered by Hurricane Irma in fall 2017. One year later, the horrific red tide scare washed into town.
Dead marine life washed ashore and there were dark, murky waters as far as the eye could see. Respiratory issues became the norm for Naples residents and visitors. And yet, Naples keep calm and carried on.
Jack Wert, executive director of Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the water quality issues this year did not cause Naples a significant reduction in visitors.
During the red tide issue, Naples beachgoers continued to soak in the sun. The brown waters kept everyone from venturing in, but tourists and residents alike still spent their time playing volleyball or laying out for a tan.
While the city’s overall visitor numbers failed to diminish, many Naples hotels near the beach felt dramatic effects from the toxic bloom.
“Group travel was up for the summer and transient was down,” said Jay Slaboch, general manager of HYATT House Naples. Transient travelers are people who are seek short, last-minute hotel stays. “This summer was the worst summer we have had since opening three years ago,” Slaboch said.
HYATT House Naples sits on 5th Avenue South in the heart of downtown, catching the eye of anyone that passes. The structure overlooks Naples Bay directly across from Tin City, a dining and shopping district favorited by Naples residents and vacationers.
Slaboch noted that the decrease in bookings was caused by the red tide, brown water and weather conditions.
Many of the hotels in Naples are in walking distance to the beach. Those hotels were forced to lower their rates, which caused a trickle-down effect to all hotels.
The only properties that had survived the red tide effects were the larger convention hotels, said Slaboch.
August and September saw several days of red tide presence in the Naples area. But the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau worked to market inland activities for visitors to enjoy.
Instead of visiting the beach, tourists sought out different activities to fill their time in Naples.
“It didn’t affect us as a business, but the community was impacted. People would come to the garden with their kids instead of going to the beach. Tourists were running out of things to do, thinking about leaving [the city] early,” said Adrienne Lewis of Naples Botanical Garden.
Many of Naples’ visitors are regulars, and they were desperate for answers. Northerners are common guests, so the beaches and downtown areas are heavily populated during the summer and fall.
“During the summer, I would get asked at least once a day if I knew when [the red tide] would go away,” Lewis added.
Cities scattered around the state, ranging from Tampa to Miami, all suffered from the algae outbreak.
Areas north of Naples, like Fort Myers Beach, Sarasota and Sanibel, experienced more of a negative impact from the water quality issues, according to Wert.
“Our message throughout the difficult summer and fall months was to consult our ‘Beach Conditions’ page on our website for up-to-the-minute information on water quality,” Wert added.
“On that page, we feature access to several sources, such as Mote Marine and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, to show red tide presence in the Southwest Florida area, live beach cams to show the real-time conditions on our beaches, and an array of user generated photos of how our area looks today.”
In the wake of the red tide resolution, Naples is performing better than ever. According to Wert, their visitation data from January — October, 2018 indicates growth over the same period compared to 2017 in visitation. This also includes visitor spending and jobs in the tourism industry.
“Despite all of the challenges to the west coast of Florida from the red tide, we will most likely end 2018 as another record year for tourism in Collier County,” Wert said.
For all up to date information on water quality in Naples and Collier County, visit https://www.paradisecoast.com/naples-marco-island-beach-conditions.
