CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. — Backed-up roads and bridges may be frustrating for drivers, but it's a welcomed sight for business owners who weren't sure they would make it through the last two Spring Break seasons.
According to Steve Hayes with the Visit St. Pete Clearwater, hotel occupancy was up 6% last week when compared to the same week in 2021. The average price for a hotel room in Pinellas County is up 41%.
In Clearwater Beach, the long lines of traffic and packed streets are what people have been waiting for.
Spring break week for Tampa area schools is coming to a close. But it was a huge success for beachside business that had a slow spring break the last two years. Just check out the traffic headed out to Clearwater Beach on Thursday afternoon @BN9 @BN9traffic pic.twitter.com/wIruDuh5Dz
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) March 18, 2022
"Because of the pandemic, we didn't do much for a couple of years, but boy we're making up for it this year," said Lisa Degust, manager of the Freaky Tiki.
Degust was running around her store on Thursday afternoon trying to restock shelves and hang clothes as dozens of customers came through the doors.
"It's really doubled in business since the past two years," she said. "It was really looking bad because people weren't shopping, they didn't have money."
While the prices on most products have gone up over the last year, Degust said people here on vacation are just happy to be back, and aren't hesitating to spend the extra cash.
"So far, Spring Break has been wonderful," she said with a smile.