Packed beaches boost for local businesses

SUN SPOT: Beachgoers are seen at Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett in July. Officials from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management predict the number of visitors to the Ocean State's beaches will surpass last year's total of 1 million. / COURTESY OFFICE OF GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO
SUN SPOT: Beachgoers are seen at Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett in July. Officials from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management predict the number of visitors to the Ocean State's beaches will surpass last year's total of 1 million. / COURTESY OFFICE OF GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO

Be it the weather, reduced beach fees, strengthening economy or just an outlier year, beachgoers are out in droves this year and the tourism sector is benefiting in Rhode Island.

From May through July, the number of beachgoers to visit Rhode Island state beaches was an estimated 527,000, a 45 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to state numbers.

Should the trend continue, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management – charged with the operation of state beaches – expects Rhode Island to surpass last year’s total of 1 million visitors.

“I’m sure we’ll be higher, but that’s of course if the season continues strong,” said Rose Amoros Jones, DEM chief public affairs officer.

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The No. 1 draw to the beach is the weather, which through July was “extraordinary,” Jones added. Indeed, this year’s summer has been so dry that on July 27 the R.I. Water Resources Board had to urge Rhode Islanders to start conserving water.

“We are experiencing a very dry summer, which results in increased water demand,” said Kathleen Crawley, acting general manager of the board.

Increased dryness translates into a greater number of beachgoers, especially for those who’re taking day trips on the ferry to Block Island.

“The weather has been exceptional,” agreed Jessica K. Willi, executive director of the Block Island Tourism Council. “People who booked a stay in advance are not typically affected by the weather, but it affects the day-trippers.”

The tourism council typically measures the success of its season based on hotel receipts, which won’t be calculated until September and October. But anecdotally, Willi says it’s been a strong season thus far, which is highly important for the local businesses, as daily visits fall greatly in the off-season.

“We’re seeing at least the same number of people as we did last year, which was a banner year,” Willi added.

What parking is available on Block Island is free, creating little to no impact on visits, Willi said. But on the mainland, state officials are closely monitoring public parking, as lawmakers this year cut beach parking fees in half as part of the fiscal 2017 budget. A season pass for residents dropped from $60 to $30, while nonresidents now pay $60 instead of $120. Single-day fees dropped from $14 to $7 for residents and from $28 to $14 for nonresidents.

Jones thinks the lowering of beach fees is already having an impact on the volume of beachgoers, adding that the number of people parked at state beaches over the Fourth of July weekend exceeded 50,000 people.

“Our parking staff told us they hadn’t seen these numbers in years,” Jones said. “We’re packed at the public facilities and they’re at capacity nearly every weekend.”

The state’s numbers are likely understated, as estimates only take into account the amount of vehicles that park in the public lots, multiplied by the nationally accepted multiplier of 3.2. That means the state’s estimated 527,000 visitors through July didn’t capture anyone traveling on foot or by bikes. The number also fails to include the many thousands of visitors who frequent beaches accessible through parks, towns and private facilities, which dot the roughly 400 miles of Rhode Island coastline.

The strong tourism season through July has likely come as a welcomed sign to state regulators, who fumbled the rollout of a new tourism campaign earlier this year. Released by R.I. Commerce Corp., a promotional video meant to promote the state included footage of Iceland, drawing sharp criticism from both Rhode Islanders and national press.

But it’s not just the state that’s benefiting from the uptick in beachgoers, as Jones points out; the private sector is also helped.

“The surrounding businesses benefit from the beachgoers who want to go out to eat, or see other attractions, or rent kayaks – you name it,” she said. “And there’s certainly also the ancillary benefit of showing the state’s quality of life, which could attract businesses here. … It’s highly important for our residents, our visitors and our businesses.”

Looking forward to the rest of the summer season, Jones is closely eyeing the weather, and Willi is watching national trends. Willi says tourism is cyclical with the economy but closely monitors national trends in tourism, which can sometimes be affected by national elections.

“We do find, like the rest of the country, that in election years people are a little wary [of travel],” she said. “As we get closer to election time … people might pull back a little bit, but I think we’re going to see that a little more as we get past August and into the fall season.” •

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