Martin County hotels could benefit from lifted beach restrictions

One industry keeping a close eye on beach re-openings is our local hotels.

RE- OPENINGS&.

IS OUR LOCALHOTELS.

THEY'VE TAKEN A BIGHIT IN RECENT WEEKS AND NOWTHEY'RE BRACING FOR FEWERPROFITS THIS MEMORIAL DAY.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'S MEGHAMCROBERTS IS IN MARTIN COUNTY-WITH HOW THEY'RE STAYIAFLOAT.< LIKE MANY BUSINESSES HOTELSARE TAKING THE HIT DURINGTHEIR TYPICALLY HIGHEST SEASONAND MOST PROFITABLE TIME OYEAR.

BUT AS MORE RESTRICTIOBEGIN TO LIFT THEY'RE HOPEFULTO SLOWLY AND SAFELY STATAKING MORE BOOKINGS& PKG(OCEAN NATS) FOR TRAVELERS&THIS IS OFTEN THE BIGGEST DRAWTO PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THETREASURE COAST& BUT CLOSEDBEACHES& FOR WEEKS& MEANT VERYFEW PEOPLE WERE ENJOYING THEM.13:06:10:13 "26% OF OURINVENTORY HAS ACCESS TO THEBEACH RIGHT NOW." BUT MOREMARTIN COUNTY HOTELS COULDSOON START ATTRACTINGPOTENTIAL BEACH GOERS AGAIN&EVEN BEFORE THE UPCOMINGMEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.13:06:14:04 "SO, IF BEACHESOPEN UP FURTHER DOWN SOUTH,THEN MORE PEOPLE IF THEY DOCOME AND STAY IN HOTELS WILLHAVE ACCESS TO THE BEACH."PALM BEACH COUNTY'S OPENINGBEACHES TO EVERYONE NEXT WEEK&AND MARTIN COUNTY COULD SOONFOLLOW SUIT.

13:06:46:10"THERE'S A LOT OF PENT UPDEMAND, THERE ARE A LOT OFPEOPLE WHO WANT TO STARTMOVING AND TRYING THINGS, BUTWE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'REDOING THINGS SAFELY AND WE'REFOLLOWING GUIDELINES WITHTHAT." HOTELS LIKELY WON'T BEMAKING UP THEIR LOSSES ANYTIMESOON.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OFTHE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC&MARTINCOUNTY OCCUPANCY RATES WENTDOWN MORE THAN 40 PERCENT.

NOTONLY A HIT TO THE HOTELS& BUTO THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE...LOSING BED TAX REVENUE.13:09:23:26 "WHAT WE FOUND ISTHAT EVERY DOLLAR SPENT BY ATOURIST, 65 CENTS STAYS LOCAL.SO, NOT ONLY IS IT IMPACTINGBED TAX AND WE CAN DO TOATTRACT PEOPLE TO COME HERE,BUT IT'S IMPACTING ALL OF THEBUSINESSES AND THE QUALITY OFLIFE THAT WE AS RESIDENTS GETTO EXPERIENCE.

65 CENTSSTAYING LOCAL OUT OF EVERYDOLLAR IS PRETTY IMPACTFUL."MARTIN COUNTY MEETS AGAIN ONTUESDAY TO DISCUSS BEACHES ANDANY POTENTIAL LIFTINGRESIDENCY RESTRICTIONS...POTENTIALLY LETTINTOURISTS... GAIN ACCESS.

TAG:SHORT TERM RENTALS& LIKE AIRBNB ARE STILL ORDERED CLOSED.BUT- COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS CANNOW ASK THE STATE TO ALLOWSHORT TERM RENTALS AND SUBMITA SAFETY PLAN FOCONSIDERATION.

MM NC 5FLORIDA HAS MORE THAN44-THOUSAND POSI