Florida beach cities 'ghost towns', local businesses down 30% this summer.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

With over 825 miles of sandy beaches, Florida’s reputation as the perfect summer holiday destination has always been considered unshakeable. But this year, some business owners along the coast say the typical summer boom failed to materialize.

"Spring Break, really never happened for us, and then the summer swing, never happened for us," says Kirsten Smail, a marine educator for Dolphin Quest told ABC Action News. “It’s a ghost town,” confirmed Amber Simmons, General Manager at Pirates Pub & Grub. "It's the slowest year we've had since 2020."

-snip-

Changing tourism mix

A key factor dragging business for some Gulf Coast tourist destinations is the lack of foreign arrivals — particularly from Canada. Canadian visitors, long a lifeline for Florida’s Gulf Coast, are pulling back as diplomatic tensions rise and border crossings plunge. As the Trump administration ramps up its trade war and diplomatic spat, the so-called “snowbirds” from the north are changing their travel plans.

The number of Canadians taking road trips across the U.S. border dropped 37% year-over-year in July, according to Statistics Canada. Air travel was down 26% over the same period. This was the seventh consecutive month of declining tourism from Canada.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/florida-beach-cities-ghost-towns-190000484.html

Heckuva job Trumpy.

[Happy Hoosier]

1. I was in Ft Walton Beach for 6 weeks this Spring

It was pretty empty. All the folks I talked to said it was super quiet…

[B.See]

4. That's what happens when MAGATS

embrace conservative bullshit statewide and use it to guide... correction... DICTATE local legislation, policymaking and mindsets. Like how they went out of their way targeting just CERTAIN groups of spring breakers last spring.

... and when their ideology and policymaking inspire racists and bigots to behave in ways that make for an unwelcoming environment for visitors and tourists.

There're some vacay spots we used to get away to that we don't anymore, because of the mentalities inspired byTrumpism.

So, maybe they can turn a profit from building yet another fkn concentration camp. Fuck em.

[3Hotdogs]

13. I won't tell nobody, but you spelt maggots wrong.

[FHRRK]

14. Spelling looks correct

I prefer lower case t and s, but can live with and understand all caps.

[chicoescuela]

2. Still glad you supported tsf Ronny boy?

Well deserved

[Cha]

6. That's what I was thinking about... How's

deStupid liking all this Revenue Not coming into Florida? As well as all the magas who own these businesses and Voted for it?

[chicoescuela]

7. Most still in denial I suppose

Maybe some day they will understand
Maybe not

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Keep shooting yourself in the dicks you stupid Republican Floridians.

[gab13by13]

5. Lots of service workers in the US,

lots of service workers who depend on tips. Lots of service workers, like Las Vegas workers who voted for Krasnov because, no tax on tips.

Krasnov forgot to mention that these service workers will also be in a lower tax bracket because of lack of income, lack of tips.

FAFO, you got lower taxes along with less income.

[markodochartaigh]

8. When I patronize a business here in SW Florida

and they say something about it being so slow lately, I tell them not to worry. Any day now all those Medicaid recipients, native-born meth heads, and tiktokkers are gonna come rollin' in with that sweet, sweet tomato pickin' money.

[House of Roberts]

9. If I was from Canada (or just about anywhere)

I wouldn't risk being snatched off the street and deported to El Salvador or worse, without a hearing or a call to my consulate.

[Wounded Bear]

10. FAFO into the trump slump...

[Warpy]

11. I'm a little surprised it's only down 30%

We'll see if that holds up by the time everything is added up at the end of the year.

The slied this year will be a crater next year if the tariffs aren't overturned.

[Lucky Luciano]

16. Trips planned a while back might not get canceled....but going forward...could get way worse.

[BlueSpot]

12. I'm a natural born citizen but I wouldn't spend any money in Florida

Why vacation in a hate state? If you can even afford to vacation in this shit economy.

[3Hotdogs]

15. New Jersey - at the northern most entrance to the Garden State Parkway, is a sign, in French,

welcoming the vacationers. Their destination is/was mostly, Wildwood, N.J. Now Wildwood businesses and motel owners are complaining about empty rooms.

Oh, southern, N.J. is maggot territory. Trump signs are still proudly flying.

[DFW]

17. I just was on Cape Cod, MA for five weeks

Past tense, alas.

There were fewer license plates than usual from Québec, but other than that the Outer Cape was jam packed. There were some Europeans, as usual, and visitors from other continents were always rare.

Parking places were impossible to find. The better concerts (Graham Nash, e.g.) were sold out months in advance, and reservation at the better restaurants needed to be made days or even weeks in advance. Parking at the better beaches was scarce, and some cars were turned away to prevent overcrowding.

There is the annoying factor of cruise ships docking at Provincetown a few times a week, and loosing a few hundred or even thousand very conspicuous non-spending day trippers on the town, but if you’re there for an early breakfast or evening shopping, whale watching or dinner, it’s back to the “usual” people. They are usually academics, low key businesspeople, a few well-knowns (Rachel Maddow, David Sedaris, Kathleen Clark). But this is not the Hamptons on NY. People do not go there to rent summer places for $50,000 a week. If indeed there are any, I’m not aware of them. That’s some other planet.

A very few people fly in or sail in, but most drive. They sometimes drive from as far away as Virginia, but I’d guess that maybe 80% of them are from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania or the New England states. Either that, or they fly from far away, like we do, and rent a car at the airport. Europe has some great beaches, too, but they are usually overcrowded, often polluted, and spoiled by cramped rows of wooden lounge chairs with awnings, waiters with champagne or mimiosas snd petty thieves. Bars with sand, more than anything. JFK made Cape Cod National Seashore a national Park, so there’s none of that. The route from Boston to Provincetown was almost bumper to bumper in both directions this year, as if there were no other vacation spots open.

So, so far, even Trump hasn’t been able to ruin Cape Cod, or keep the regulars away. As long as he stays away, we’re happy.

[Iggo]

18. Haven't heard shit from Little Boots in quite a bit.

[bif]

19. I don't think I'll ever visit Florida again as long as I live.

And Texas is right up there as well.

[Initech]

22. I may be going to Florida by the end of this year.

And the only reason is because I have some relatives of mine in Tampa who we've been saying since COVID that we plan to visit at some point. They are in their 90s, BTW.

[Initech]

20. Hey you voted for the fucking asshole and you continue to support the authoritarian shitbags promoted by Fox News.

You did this to yourself Florida.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

21. The states with Immigrant Concentration Camps will see tourism and business drop.

That means you Florida!

How does it feel Ronnie to see less money being spent in your state? Tell us!

[mucifer]

23. Meanwhile increase tourism in Chicago

https://www.choosechicago.com/press-media/press-releases/choose-chicago-celebrates-record-breaking-weekend-of-travel-and-kicks-off-summer-in-chicago-2/

Gee I wonder why more people are coming here ?

🤔