Everyone from beach safety to the lodging industry is feeling pretty good right about now due to the sunshine, mild temperatures and a holiday week Central Florida’s seen this week.Brian Scheive, a visitor from Wisconsin, summed up his day and said he was enjoying the weather today. He is like the thousands of others who’ve been flocking to Central Florida beaches this holiday season.”We are expecting those very large crowds. We will have the lifeguard towers out here, make sure you’re swimming in front of one of those,” Beach Safety Captain Tammy Malphurs said. Combine a mild week with nearly perfect weather and this is what you have. And with only a moderate risk of rip currents, all has been relatively calm.”We’ve been at capacity in some of those core areas, but everything was pretty lowkey, everything was pretty quiet,” Malphurs said.The folks at Beach Safety want everyone to have an absolutely great time on the beach, but they have these reminders: no glass, no alcohol and absolutely no fireworks.”They are strictly prohibited on the beach, there can be a fine and even an arrestable offense,” Malphurs said. “Florida’s a great place to be,” beachgoer Dawn Nouansacksy said.The folks at the Lodging and Hospitality Association say it’s clear a lot of people agree with her.”Ontario, Michigan, Iowa, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, they’re coming from all over,” president and CEO of the Lodging and Hospitality Association Bob Davis said.His parking lot license plate review has him bullish of what’s going on right now.”They’re tired of being in the house. They’re bringing their masks with them and their protocols, and the beach is doing fantastic this week,” Davis said.Davis says some of his members are amending the New Year’s celebrations due to COVID-19, while others are holding traditional events.Business travel is still a little sluggish, but for those who love a beach vacation?”We’re winding up with one of our best sales tax and bed tax collections than we’ve ever seen, ever,” Davis said. Extra beach access ramps are open this week to accommodate the larger crowds.
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. —
Everyone from beach safety to the lodging industry is feeling pretty good right about now due to the sunshine, mild temperatures and a holiday week Central Florida’s seen this week.
Brian Scheive, a visitor from Wisconsin, summed up his day and said he was enjoying the weather today.
He is like the thousands of others who’ve been flocking to Central Florida beaches this holiday season.
“We are expecting those very large crowds. We will have the lifeguard towers out here, make sure you’re swimming in front of one of those,” Beach Safety Captain Tammy Malphurs said.
Combine a mild week with nearly perfect weather and this is what you have. And with only a moderate risk of rip currents, all has been relatively calm.
“We’ve been at capacity in some of those core areas, but everything was pretty lowkey, everything was pretty quiet,” Malphurs said.
The folks at Beach Safety want everyone to have an absolutely great time on the beach, but they have these reminders: no glass, no alcohol and absolutely no fireworks.
“They are strictly prohibited on the beach, there can be a fine and even an arrestable offense,” Malphurs said.
“Florida’s a great place to be,” beachgoer Dawn Nouansacksy said.
The folks at the Lodging and Hospitality Association say it’s clear a lot of people agree with her.
“Ontario, Michigan, Iowa, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, they’re coming from all over,” president and CEO of the Lodging and Hospitality Association Bob Davis said.
His parking lot license plate review has him bullish of what’s going on right now.
“They’re tired of being in the house. They’re bringing their masks with them and their protocols, and the beach is doing fantastic this week,” Davis said.
Davis says some of his members are amending the New Year’s celebrations due to COVID-19, while others are holding traditional events.
Business travel is still a little sluggish, but for those who love a beach vacation?
“We’re winding up with one of our best sales tax and bed tax collections than we’ve ever seen, ever,” Davis said.
Extra beach access ramps are open this week to accommodate the larger crowds.