Pinellas County tourism posted new records in 2013, and the first quarter of 2014 looks encouraging for another banner year for Gulf Beaches‘ hotels, resorts, motels, restaurants and services.
Giving an added boost is a trio of hospitality sites, including the recently opened Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach, the Courtyard by Marriott debuting in Q4 in Madeira Beach, and the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island, slated for upgrades by new owner Clearview Hotel Capital, LLC, in Newport Beach, CA.
DT Minich, Director of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, tells Paradise News, “March was the biggest bed tax month ever for Pinellas County since we started collecting this fee, with a new record of $5.293 million, up 7.32% over 2013. This was without the big Easter holiday in March last year, but in April this year. Total January-March net bed tax was $11.098 million, an 8.8% increase.
“Another surprising figure for 2013 was a decrease of only a half percentage point for August compared to 2012 when we hosted over 40% of the RNC rooms in Pinellas County with all those room nights. Total bed tax revenue was up 8.1% up for the year. In contrast, Tampa was way off in August 2013, not making up those RNC room nights.
“Last year we hit the 1 million-plus mark in European visitors, and Latin American visitation was up 34%, with very good load numbers for the first four months of Copa Airlines a big factor in this increase. One overseas visitor is equivalent to three domestic visitors due to the length of stay and amount of spend.”
Some highlight figures for the record 2013 Pinellas tourism year, courtesy of Research Data Services Inc.:
– Total Overnight Visitation up 2.7% to 5,579,900, with the Hotel Motel Segment up 4.7% to 3,007,900.
– Value of 144,900 Additional Overnight Pinellas Visitors was $100,770,700
– Direct Spending, $200,694,900
– Total Economic Impact, 1,400 Additional Jobs
– Supported, and $6,348,600 Visitor 7% Sales Tax Revenue.
– Total Economic Impact was up 6.1% to $8,279,732,415, led by the Hotel/Motel Segment, up 9.3% to $4,940,113,215. Day Tripper Segment was up 2.4% to $551,249,000 and the Visiting Friends Segment up 1.6% to $2,788,370,200.
Trio of Highlight Properties
“We recently purchased the Bilmar Beach Resort and Sloppy Joe’s on the Beach,” Jon Kline, CEO of Clearview Hotel Capital, LLC, tells Paradise News. “We are very excited about the area and its prospects. We believe that the beauty and charm of the Gulf Coast beaches are underappreciated, and that the region is poised for growth in tourism well beyond other more mature markets as the economy strengthens. The summer market as a quick getaway for Florida residents has developed nicely over the past decade or so, and continues to grow.
“We are fortunate in that we are inheriting a very talented team, led by General Manager Clyde Smith. He has been involved in luxury properties, including Pinehurst Golf Resort, and brings a sophisticated, customer-centric approach. Most of Clyde’s executive team, and many of the associates at the hotel, have been at the Bilmar for a long time, leading to a family feeling for the many loyal visitors.
“Although the property has been very well maintained, we do plan to make some targeted capital improvements to the hotel and Sloppy Joe’s, including adding new awnings to the outdoor decks at both Sloppy Joe’s & Bazzie’s Beach Bar. We are very excited about what the future holds in Treasure Island.”
“The Courtyard by Marriott Madeira Beach is currently accepting reservations for December 2014 and beyond,” General Manager Rob Alexandre tells Paradise News. He notes that the hotel embodies the next generation of comfort while invoking West Coast Florida charm. Nestled on the Intracoastal Waterway, 91 sunset view rooms provide rest from the work or play on the Gulf of Mexico. Accommodations offer a mixture of King and two Queen- sized beds with a majority having balconies.
The property offers flexibility in accommodating guests whether wanting time by the pool, using the Go Board to find area attractions, hosting a meeting or throwing a party in the 1,400-square-foot function room, or harmonizing work with play in the business area. The pool deck and water view outdoor terrace provide relaxation opportunities for sitting by the fire pit or soaking in the whirlpool with cocktails from the full liquor bar or coffee from a Proudly Brew Starbucks station. Guests may arrive by land or sea, enjoy breakfast or dinner in the Bistro, and feel welcome while attended to at the new facility.
“We are excited to join the Madeira Beach Community and gratefully thank everyone for the open arms reception,” Alexandre adds. “Shaner Hotels prides itself on providing exceptional quality hotels and service, and we are looking forward to a bright future.”
The Hotel Zamora is slated to make its debut in early June as St. Pete Beach’s first new hotel in more than 20 years. Influenced by the architecture, design and feel of Zamora, Spain, the hotel will feature Mediterranean-style rooms and suites, high-tech meeting and confer- ence space, a marina, fresh-water pool, hot tub, fitness center and access to the Gulf of Mexico’s pristine, white-sand beaches round out its offerings.
The hotel will also introduce Castile, a Spanish-influenced destination restaurant and rooftop lounge, led by locally renowned Executive Chef Ted Dorsey. Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Castile’s locally sourced, seafood-inspired menu will include a large selection of tapas-style dishes, soups, salads and creative entrees (such as Coconut Curry Braised Short Rib), with sides that pay homage to the hotel’s international roots.
“The Hotel Zamora is where South Beach chic meets St. Pete Beach,” says General Manager Tom Robertson. “With unparalleled design and its prime waterfront location, the property is positioned to breathe new life and energy to the area to keep the momentum of one of the best seasons that St. Pete Beach has seen in years.”
DT Minich looked ahead, noting, “I talk to the hotels all the time with reports that April and the Memorial Day weekend reservations were jam-packed, especially on the Gulf Beaches. We started our summer tourism campaign over the holiday weekend, with over $1 million committed for the total campaign. We certainly expect the rest of the year to continue the upward trend.”
STORY by STEVE TRAIMAN
[Special thanks to DT Minich, David Downing, Leroy Bridges and Chris Drago, VisitStPete/Clearwater; Jon Kline, Bilmar Beach Resort; Kim Eustance and Tom Robinson, The Hotel Zamora; Rob Alexandre and Jessica Respondek, Courtyard by Marriott Madeira Beach, for their insightful comments and assistance.]
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at straiman@mindspring.com.]
[Image courtesy of Visit StPete/Clearwater and Hotel Zamora]