Normally, Sarasota-Manatee has an idea of what seasonal business will look like by this time of year. Beaches are packed, travel plans are already booked and those who aren t here yet are dreaming of their upcoming vacations to Siesta Key or Anna Maria Island.
But this year, the answer to the question “what will season look like?” isn’t as clear.
After COVID-19 hit, the booking window for new trips to Manatee County shrunk dramatically, Anne Wittine, director of data analysis for Research Data Services in Tampa, told the Manatee County Tourist Development Council Feb. 1. Travelers, who mostly came from within driving distance, were booking last-minute trips – literally days before their date of arrival.