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The report based on overnight stays in paid lodging points to a strong recovery from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry last year.
To that, Collier County Commissioner Andy Solis, chairman of the Tourist Development Council, said simply: It s good to hear.
Here s a look at some of the April numbers, compared to the same month last year, when the coronavirus crisis raged:
Visitors: 159,900, +1,290%
Room nights: 275,700, +917%
Economic impact: $282 million, +1,949%
Hotel occupancy: 82.8%, +910%
While those numbers might seem rather remarkable, so are similar comparisons to two years ago, long before the coronavirus arose.
Comparisons to April 2019 show:
The county saw even steeper declines in visitation from Canada and Europe, not only because of fears over catching the virus, but because of government-imposed travel restrictions, bans and quarantines designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19, some of which remain in effect.
Anne Wittine, director of data analysis for Research Data Services, told the tourism council there were several good signs reflected in the annual report, including the fact that the county saw a smaller percentage decline in visitors from the Southeastern United States, when compared to the Northeast or Midwest.
That shows marketing to a broader drive market is also paying off, she said, which is encouraging.