On beaches, it's time for rites of spring break

OKALOOSA ISLAND, FL - With volleyball nets up, suntan lotion out, surfboards waxed and swarms of seagulls swirling overhead, spring break has descended on the Emerald Coast.

But with the market as unstable as it has been, it's anyone's guess how many tourists - and money - will arrive over the next couple of months.

Locals are mostly keeping their fingers crossed.

Ian Hinkler, a 20-year-old from Navarre, described the beaches as "more dead" than last year, when they were "bumper to bumper" with spring breakers.

But his friend, 24-year-old Brandon Shank of Shalimar, said that may be partly because of the thick fog that settled like a shroud over the beaches early last week.

Still, crowds of college students, undaunted by the uncooperative weather, hit the beaches week behind The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island and at The Crab Trap in Destin. Clad in swimming shorts and bikinis, they kicked up sprays of sand during heated volleyball games and chased after Frisbees and footballs.

Sonny Mares, executive director of the Walton County Tourist Development Council, said more than $1.8 million in bed-tax revenue was collected in March and April of last year, and that numbers this year look promising so far.

"Some hotels are saying they're sold out or they're very high, in the 90 percent occupancy ranges, which means they could sell out with last-minute bookings," he added. "So I see that as a very good spring break season this year."

Kate Wilkes, director of the Santa Rosa Tourist Development Council, said bed taxes jumped about $15,000 between February and March of last year. In total, more than $60,000 was collected between March and April.

"Santa Rosa does no college business whatsoever" because renters must be at least 25 years old, she said.

However, many families vacation in the area when their school-aged children are on their breaks.

Santa Rosa hotels, restaurants and other businesses are hoping to get more business than in previous years, she said, "but of course, with the economy the way it is, if it's the same as last year, we'll be just fine."

Okaloosa County collected $662,340 in bed taxes in March and April of 2008, according to county figures.

Darrel Jones, director of the county's Tourist Development Council, was unavailable for comment last week and no other TDC official would speak about spring break business.

Fun in the sun

Lounging with friends on the beach behind the Crab Trap in Destin last week, 21-year-old Meaghan Campbell of Tampa said she was visiting Destin for the first time and that she and her friends were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"We got to go out on the boat yesterday, which was beautiful," she said. "I'd never been on what they call the Emerald Coast, and it's so much better than Tampa, it's so beautiful ... We leave tomorrow morning, so we're trying to enjoy the beach as much as we can. Even though it's really misty and foggy, I still think it's beautiful."

Not far away, 18-year-old Megan Gobble lay on a beach towel next to her friends, all of them from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. They ate the previous day at the Hard Rock Cafe and were looking forward to more good times in the days ahead, she said.

That's what restaurants, hotels and other area businesses like to hear - and they hope to hear more of it as spring break season continues through the end of April.

‘Slowly but steadily'

Shannon White, executive chef at The Black Pearl at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island, said that because spring break is spread out over a longer period this year - eight weeks instead of six - he expects spring breakers to stream in "slowly but steadily."

Business at The Black Pearl has neither increased nor decreased, but to entice more diners, the restaurant is offering daily sunset specials and soon will offer items for people who are watching their budgets.

"Last year, people would order and wouldn't question (the prices) ... but now, this year, there's a lot of people with coupons and gift certificates that we gave out, promotional advertisements, and they use a lot more of them," he said.

"Obviously, people are on budgets. I can understand that," said White, who has worked at the restaurant for about two years. "Me, myself, I have three kids and a wife and you've gotta make a dollar stretch. And you still want to go out and enjoy yourself and relax, and try to get away from reality."

Danny Adkins, co-manager of The Track in Destin, said business is looking good so far and he, like everyone else, is hoping for the best.

Tim Rawlings, manager of AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar, said he expects business to pick up in the weeks ahead and predicts "the numbers will really blow up" during the lead-up to Tuesday's Saint Patrick's Day festivities.

For the first time, AJ's staff distributed incentive cards to hotels and beaches where spring breakers tend to hang out "to try to entice them to come in," Rawlings said.

Things have been slow at the Sandman Motel on Okaloosa Island.

"We used to be really crowded with spring breakers, but so far this year, we've gotten a couple of phone calls, but that's it," said Staci Marquez, the front desk manager.

Marquez said she has heard similar stories from businesses in Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City.

Meanwhile, Danny Seymour, Michael Herbergs and Cody Kurpio from Louisiana State University all were satisfied with the number of "hot girls" on the beaches and at local nightspots.

"This year's definitely been the best so far," Seymour said.