Palm Beach Tourism in Bloom: In Mid-December, Tourists Arrive

The Palm Beach region in December will be busy with visitors, but not only snowbirds seeking warmer weather and shelter from wind and worry. Some arrive to run in the Garden of Life Palm Beaches Marathon, not the biggest, but likely among the most beautiful races of the year. Those taking part in the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival enjoy cuisine made by some of the nation’s best-known chefs at the Four Seasons Resort, The Breakers, The Boca Raton Resort, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa and Café Boulud.

The Palm Beaches don’t need events to attract tourists, but that’s part of a formula helping boost tourism in an already buzzing destination. Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches, says he’s focusing on creating “additional transformational events that will bring additional room night revenue in our off-season.”

Tourism is a huge industry in the Palm Beaches, a region that Henry M. Flagler in 1893 called a “veritable paradise.” Tourists today continue to enjoy a region that mixes natural features and artificial amenities.

“Palm Beach is a paradise that offers a little something for everyone from tranquil, natural escapes to lively adventures on the water,” is the way Leigh Bennett, director of business development for Visit Palm Beach, puts it.

She noted the region attracts tourists from the “local community and visitors from around the world.” Visit Palm Beach, which provides boat and fishing tours, is up more than 10% in customers year to date.

“Summer can also be busy, especially around school vacations and holidays,” according to Bennett. “The seasonality has been slightly impacted by changing travel patterns post-pandemic, but peak months remain strong.”

TOURISM BY THE NUMBERS

The Palm Beaches, just north of Miami and South of Orlando, comprising 39 towns and villages, are facing growing competition from the Caribbean and cruises, but still going strong. The region topped 9 million annual visitors with lodging revenues at a record $1.4 billion and tourism contributing over $10 billion to the regional economy.

Its share of hotel room nights sold in Florida topped 4%, but the Palm Beaches ranked first in average daily rates for hotel rooms. Meanwhile, group room night contributions soared to 20% of total occupancy, as events and corporate travel became a major part of the mix.

“Visitation from core domestic markets remains strong as most of the world has started to recover from the pandemic,” according to Discover Palm Beaches, Palm Beach County’s tourism marketing organization. “Visitation from Florida markets has steadily grown over the last year.”

Billed as “America’s First Resort Destination,” that group touts a “vibrant blend of people, cultures and coastal towns” with smaller crowds than spring break in Miami, a healthier beach experience, culture and “Atlantic Gulf Stream weather” that creates “the finest Florida travel experience.”

THE TOURIST BUG

After the pandemic bug, the tourist bug is biting travelers. As inflation grew, tourism, at least in the Palm Beaches, didn’t show signs of softening.

“Consumers over the last year have prioritized travel (the experience economy), set budgets in line with rising costs and have not shown any signs of slowing travel plans,” according to Discover Palm Beaches.

Sentiment surveys from Longwoods and Destinations Analyst show Americans increasingly are in a “travel mindset” and many are choosing the Palm Beaches. Discover the Palm Beaches said Florida and The Palm Beaches are doing well while “the rest of the world is still recovering.”

“The Palm Beaches remain a highly desirable destination in travelers’ minds,” according to Discover Palm Beaches. “The world is now open for business.”

INDUSTRY INFRASTRUCTURE

The Palm Beaches, home to more than 19,100 hotel rooms and more than 100 family-friendly attractions, has a big tourism industry. Throw in 160 golf courses, earning it the nickname of Florida’s Golf Capital, as well as The Cultural Capital of Florida with more than 200 arts and culture organizations and a mix of wealth and weather.

Located along I-95, The Palm Beaches are not just at a cultural crossroads, but a geographic one, accessible by Palm Beach International Airport, with more than 100 daily nonstop flights.

Rail service arriving via Brightline and Tri-Rail make it accessible, while motorists head in through Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike. You’re also not too far from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Miami International airports.

The region is about 2,300 square miles, offering 125 miles of waterways, 160 artificial reefs and 47 miles of beaches from Highland Beach and Boca Raton in the south to Jupiter and Tequesta in the north.

More than 160 dive sites, 90 parks and natural areas, and wildlife sanctuaries such as Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Busch Wildlife Sanctuary make it an eco-tourism destination. The fishing season is virtually year-round, while Wellington is a world-class polo location.

READING, RECREATION AND RENOVATION

While beaches and waterways are big attractions, renovations are keeping the region competitive. The Palm Beaches have undergone more than $500 million in hotel and attraction renovations, fueling what Discover the Palm Beaches calls a “significant 34%” hike in average daily hotel room rates, according to Discover Palm Beaches.

“The Palm Beaches will need to continue to position itself as a unique experience in Florida to grow market share in this landscape,” according to that group.

Events and entertainment are part of the plan. The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, Goliath Grouper Aggregation, Winter Equestrian Festival, Gay Polo Tournament, Lake Worth Street Painting Festival and Sunfest are just a few events driving tourism.

Museums and cultural institutions include the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Norton Museum of Art, Ann  Norton Sculpture Gardens, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens and many more.

DIVIDING THE TOURIST PIE

Who’s traveling to the Palm Beaches. Discover Palm Beaches said they’re seeing a “moderate increase” in visits from those visiting friends and relatives, along with decline in beach-driven visitors, amid a “resurgence” of the Caribbean and cruising.”

Arts and entertainment visitation remains strong with resorts driving tourism. LGBTQ+ tourism dropped, along with declines in beach tourism. The region is seeking to attract those seeking wellness and doing environmental tourism. And food is an attraction amid celebrity chefs and culinary choices.

Visit Palm Beach says it has a diverse mix of tourists, including Palm Beach and South Florida locals, as well as many from the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast. That’s on top of a “healthy flow of international travelers,” especially from Europe and Canada with a “recent uptick from China.”

What’s next? A second headquarters hotel is being developed at the Convention Center. And the future of tourism, or at least the plan, may not be far away. Jason Emmett, chair of the Discover The Palm Beaches Board, said they are gearing up to create a Tourism Master Plan that should “chart the course of our tourism industry for the next couple of decades.”