Anna Maria Island might hold the money egg this Easter.
Meanwhile, tourism in the state exceeds prepandemic numbers, according to Visit Florida research.
Florida visitors are spending on food and drink, accommodations, recreation and entertainment, as well as retail, transportation and rentals.
These are commodities in abundance on Anna Maria Island, where retailers, restaurant owners, charter captains, cruise companies and vacation rental companies welcomed a surge in business with the arrival of high season.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce president Terri Kinder told The Islander March 20 that ahead of the Easter holiday, island businesses already were seeing spring’s positives.
The season, thus far, “has been good to the area businesses,” Kinder said. “Visitors understand that they are visiting a beautiful paradise destination island in the Gulf of Mexico and are just happy to be here.”
“They know to bring their patience,” she added. “From what we are hearing, we anticipate that the good season will continue. We are receiving calls from visitors who are looking to book for next year.”
Kace Varga, revenue manager at Island Real Estate Sales & Rentals, 3909 E. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach, told The Islander March 21 that their 108 properties were fully booked for Easter.
“Most families have rented mostly for a week,” Varga said. “The retirees are the ones that are here for multiple months. Since Easter is early this year, a lot of the long-term stays come in for a month or two months. They’re exceeding that time frame.”
“They’re staying into the first week of April, but the families are coming Saturday, March 30, and staying until April 6. So about a week, including Easter.”
Rejane Monetti is the owner and designer of Monetti Apparel, a women’s fitness apparel company at 119 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach.
Husband John Monetti, a former Holmes Beach city commissioner and restaurant manager, assists, and he recently told The Islander: “I’ve been on this island for 30 years. I’m used to the business trends, the seasonality of it all. And what I see is very similar to what we often see. It’s busy and, thankfully, it is.”
Going into Easter week, inconsistent weather patterns — cool temps and rainfall — dampened some activities, impacting restaurants outdoor dining, fishing charters and boat and kayak tours.
Kristelle Soto is the chief marketing officer for the Chiles Hospitality Group, which operates the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits in Anna Maria, The Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in Bradenton Beach and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub on Longboat Key, among other businesses.
Soto told The Islander March 21 that she couldn’t guess how many diners would visit their restaurants during the holiday week, which coincides with spring break for the School District of Manatee County, but the weather outlook is useful.
“Right now, it’s gorgeous and people are traveling,” she said. “We are in our busiest time of year between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.”
Meanwhile, charter boat captains said they are still drumming up business this spring.
Capt. David White has been assisting in operating Anna Maria Charters for almost eight years. He told The Islander March 21 that they were extremely busy in March.
“Bookings are up from last year, “he said. “The further we get away from COVID, the more people seem to come to town. I have seen more Ontario license plates lately, and I didn’t see that for several years,” White said.
He added, “The fishing has been good since our harsh weather subsided.”