DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As businesses are still recovering from a year of shutdowns and lower capacity restrictions, Daytona Beach is coming off Bike Week and just in time for spring break and St. Patrick’s Day.
Bob Davis, president of the Lodging and Hospitality Association in Volusia County, said not only is it looking like most of the beachside hotels and resorts will be sold out this weekend for spring break, but it was one of the best Bike Weeks they’ve ever had for revenue.
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“I would rate this in the top five. I haven’t done all the figures yet, but it was amazing,” he said.
Davis said the events this year are helping them get caught up on revenue.
“The greatest part of that was bringing back all the furloughed employees and the laid off employees,’ he said.
With the beaches starting to fill in, there are still health concerns. Signs encouraging social distancing are posted at all boardwalks.
The county’s beach safety department is expecting a full turnout this year as if there wasn’t a pandemic.
“We are open at full capacity here on the beach. We do ask people to take some personal responsibility and kind of spread out,” said Capt. Tammy Malphurs.
Malphurs said beachgoers should go to less popular ramps and entrances. Beach patrol will be on the sand and using drones to monitor crowds and make sure there’s no alcohol or dogs on the beach.
“We’re not really enforcing anything as far as social distancing. We are asking people to do that themselves,” she said.
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