Though snowbirds trickle down to Vero’s barrier island throughout October and November as temperatures fall up north, Thanksgiving week marks the unofficial start of high tourism season and all signs point toward another banner year.
Thanksgiving weekend was sold out in mid-November at Kimpton’s Vero Beach Hotel and Spa. The dog-friendly, kid-friendly resort has seen a year full of national and international hospitality accolades, so it’s not surprising. Occupancy for the rest of the week is pacing strong at 70 percent to 80 percent, General Manager Awet Sium said.
Sium said the fact that he’ll have a full house this week “speaks to the growing popularity of Vero Beach as a holiday destination,” he said. “We’re seeing strong interest and advanced bookings for the rest of the season, as well. It’s an exciting time for our town and our hotel.”
Occupancy at Costa d’ Este Beach Resort and Spa has also been strong, though a little slower than last year, according to general manager Rob Burnetti. He has taken around 300 reservations for Thanksgiving brunch and dinner, which costs $99 for adults and $32 for children ages 4-12.
“We should come close to selling out our rooms for the holiday weekend, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve are always popular, too,” Burnetti said. “I was traveling recently and saw a lot of transport trucks filled with cars with northern license plates. So they’re coming. The fun’s about to begin!”
Quail Valley Club Managing Partner Kevin Given was up north recently and witnessed the season’s early snows. “I anticipate our activity levels to be consistent with past years, maybe slightly increasing due to the poor weather up north,” Givens said.
Given recently welcomed his staff of 355 team members to a season kickoff orientation and the club is fully ready to serve, he said.
Back out on Ocean Drive, many of the visitors to the historic Driftwood Inn are families, said general manager Lee Olsen. Since the Driftwood is a deeded time-share property, the families who come now are headed by grown-up who came as kids with their families 20 and 30 years ago, he said. “We’re seeing the next generation taking over. It’s a good thing.
“We’re hopeful it will be a stellar season,” Olsen said. Reservations for dinner on Thanksgiving were sold out more than a week in advance with very little advertising, Olsen said. And room reservations are on par with last year, which was a good year.
Olsen and other restaurateurs on the beach are hoping the city will flip the two-hour parking limit along Ocean Drive back to three hours. The beachside parking limit has gone back and forth for a number of years.
Vero Beach and Indian River County finished last season with strong numbers, said Ben Earman, vice president of tourism & marketing for Visit Indian River County Florida. “The county did end above its projected budget for 2023-24,” Earman said. “We are more in alignment with pre-Covid, which is where most Florida counties and the state are.”
Tourism taxes collected in August and September 2024 were higher than in August and September 2023, Earman said. But year-to-date tourist taxes ending in September 2024 were down about $212,705, or about 4.4 percent. Still, that is about 12.9 percent above budgeted projections for the year, he said.
“Our restaurants and shops have had a very busy summer, and hotels remain solidly booked,” Earman said. “We do expect an on-trend season, and some are saying even higher than normal.”
In November, Indian River County voters approved adding an additional penny to the bed tax – now at 5 percent – paid by tourists staying in local hotels, which will move more money into beach replenishment and tourism promotion. The new rate takes effect Jan. 1 and brings Indian River County in line with St. Lucie and Martin counties for tourist tax.
Over the summer, Visit Indian River County Florida marketed to areas within driving distance, Earman said – including Orlando, West Palm Beach and Tampa – pushing family travel, eco-tourism and even pet travel. “Our beaches, of course, continue to be our biggest draw, as well as outdoor recreation. We recently hosted a Major League Fishing Tournament presented by Bass Pro Shops. They see the quality we have for this kind of event, and brought more attention to our area and the outdoors.”
Photos by Joshua Kodis
