Many Anna Maria Island accommodation owners and managers say their properties are at or near capacity for the Christmas-New Year’s holiday. Anyone looking for an island vacation that week should act quickly.
“It’s a normal Christmas,” said Sue Brinson of Anna Maria Island Accommodations, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.
“We always expect to be full and this year is no different. We have a few openings here and there, but they are being taken quickly,” she said.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce president Mary Ann Brockman said she’s having a difficult time finding reservations for those who call the chamber office.
“We have a list of our members who have an available unit for the week, but it’s dwindling fast,” she said.
Brockman found a unit for someone at the White Sands Resort, 6504 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, only because the unit was being remodeled and owner Jeff Geary didn’t want to rent it until he was sure it would be finished in time for the holidays.
David Teitelbaum, who owns four resort motels in Bradenton Beach, agreed this is a typical Christmas season.
“We expect to be full. We’ve got a few rooms left and it depends upon the dates the person wants. For those walk-ins who show up the day before Christmas, we’ll try to accommodate them, either at our resorts or through the chamber,” Teitelbaum said.
He added that fair weather is predicted for the island Dec. 25-Jan. 1, 2015, and that’s always a plus for the tourism industry.
Brockman said many visitors coming for the Christmas week asked her about dining out on Christmas Day. She’s making a list of member restaurants that will open on Christmas.
And she’s checking it twice.
