Green Business, Stone Crab & Holiday Season Ahead
October
October has plenty to share: the latest numbers, a brand-new Green Business resource, the final stretch of Keys Season, and plenty of holiday planning already underway. Plus, Stone Crab Season and a sunset celebration are giving visitors even more reasons to explore The Florida Keys.
Seven Mile Bridge Sunset Celebration
Join the community this Saturday for the Seven Mile Bridge Sunset Celebration, part of The Florida Keys’ America 250 festivities. From 5 to 7:30 p.m., visitors and residents can gather on the Old Seven Mile Bridge for an evening centered around one of the Keys’ most iconic views. Share the event with guests looking for something special to do this weekend and a uniquely Florida Keys way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
Keys Season: The Final Month
Keys Season runs through October 31, which means there’s still time to get your business involved. Our campaign continues to drive visitors toward special offers, experiences and reasons to book during the shoulder season, with more than 141,000 impressions since May. If your business has a lodging deal, dining offer, attraction special or other visitor promotion, submit it now so we can help put it in front of travelers looking for more reasons to visit The Florida Keys.
Green Business Page Is Live
The new Green Business page is now live, giving visitors an easy way to explore businesses and organizations helping make The Florida Keys a little greener. The page includes an interactive map, descriptions of participating programs and direct links to our partners, foundations and organizations for additional information. It’s a helpful resource to share with guests who ask about sustainable lodging, boating, diving, dining and other environmentally conscious options throughout the Keys.
Thanksgiving Menus Are Out
Spending Thanksgiving in The Florida Keys? We’re gathering holiday menus and dining experiences from restaurants and resorts throughout the island chain. From traditional turkey dinners to waterfront celebrations with a Keys twist, the guide is a great resource to share when visitors ask where they can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without doing the cooking themselves.
One Bite, Florida Keys Style
One bite, everyone knows the rules. Our latest pizza article brings together Dave Portnoy’s Florida Keys pizza reviews, making it easy for visitors to follow his stops and see how local slices scored. Whether they agree with the reviews or want to create a pizza scorecard of their own, it’s a fun way to inspire a road trip, support local restaurants and taste their way through The Florida Keys.
Stone Crab Season Is Almost Here
One of the tastiest times of year in The Florida Keys is almost here. Stone Crab Season begins next week, and our guide gives visitors everything they need to know about this local delicacy. Learn why stone crab harvesting is unique, how sustainability plays a role in the fishery, where visitors can experience stone crab through local charters and restaurants, and how to make the classic mustard dipping sauce at home. It’s an easy resource to share when guests ask, “What exactly is a stone crab?”
Tourism for Good
Tourism does more than bring visitors to The Florida Keys. Visitor-paid tourism dollars help fund capital projects that improve the places residents and travelers enjoy every day. From parks, beaches and cultural attractions to projects supporting coral restoration and the future of our natural resources, these investments help tourism give back to the community while protecting what makes the Keys special for generations to come.
Tourism Data and Insights
August hotel performance softened slightly, with occupancy at 65.1% and revenue per available room down 2.9% year over year. Preliminary September data through Sept. 26 shows improvement, with occupancy up 12.1% and revenue per available room up 18.5% compared to last year. The Labor Day calendar shift affected both months’ comparisons, with last year’s holiday weekend largely falling in August and this year’s falling entirely in September.
Hotels
- Occupancy: 65.1%, down 1.8% YoY
- ADR: $245.80, down 1.1%
- RevPAR: $160.07, down 2.9%
- Revenue: Down 2.9% YoY
September Shows Strong Early Momentum
Preliminary September hotel data through Sept. 26 shows encouraging gains compared to last year, with occupancy up 12.1% and RevPAR increasing 18.5%. The Labor Day calendar shift also influenced September's year-over-year comparison.
- Occupancy: 55.9%, up 12.1% YoY
- ADR: $229, up 5.7%
- RevPAR: $128, up 18.5%
Key West Air Travel Continues to Grow
Key West International Airport recorded 60.3K passengers screened at TSA checkpoints in August, up 3.3% YoY. Fiscal year-to-date checkpoint volume reached 870.4K, a 7.2% increase.
For the fiscal year through August, Philadelphia remained the leading air origin market at 6.8% of arrivals, followed by Newark at 6.3%, Boston and Washington, D.C. at 5.8% each.
National Hotel Growth Moderates
National hotel performance slowed in August, with RevPAR increasing 2.0% YoY following six consecutive months of growth above 4.0%.
Upper-upscale hotels led with 3.1% RevPAR growth, while economy hotels declined 2.4%, reflecting continued differences in performance across hotel segments.
Partner Tip: Send Us Your Holiday Menus
Holiday planning is already underway, and visitors are starting to look for places to celebrate. If your restaurant, resort or business is offering a Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or other holiday menu or dining experience, send the details our way. We’re building seasonal content to help visitors find holiday dining throughout The Florida Keys, and we want to include as many partner offerings as possible.
Please include your menu, date and time, pricing, reservation information and a link or contact information when available.
Tourism Dates to Remember
Fishing Advisory Committee
October 15, 6 p.m. on Zoom
Dive & Ecotourism Advisory Committee
November 19, 3:30 p.m. on Zoom (link to be provided closer to meeting date)
Tourism Development Council (TDC)
November 12, 10 a.m. at Murray nelson Government Center (Zoom link to be provided closer to meeting date)
Cultural Umbrella Committee
November 10, 11 a.m.
More info here
