Summer Trends: A Strong Start and Resilient Performance
We kicked off the season with incredible demand for the Sand in My Boots Festival and Memorial Day weekend, generating record-setting revenue across many of our properties.
While early June experienced a slight slowdown compared to the past couple of years, with occupancy for the first two weeks trending below 2023 and 2024 levels, we closely monitored both internal and market-wide data and responded quickly.
The good news? The second half of June and all of July are pacing exceptionally well. Despite a 3% decline in occupancy across the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach market through early August, our program is up 3.5% for the summer so far. Even more impressive, our owners are earning around 15% more revenue on average than comparable properties in the market.
This strong performance reflects our team’s proactive pricing strategies, targeted marketing efforts, and continuous demand monitoring.
Preparing for Late Summer: Navigating School Calendar Shifts
As we approach late July and early August, we’re carefully watching school calendar trends. As Bill highlighted in his recent article, many of our key feeder markets are returning to school early this year. Historically, this shift leads to a dip in last-minute travel.
To stay ahead, our team is actively adjusting pricing and increasing promotional efforts to maintain strong occupancy even during these traditionally softer periods.
Fall Strategy: Positioning for Continued Success
Once we pass the second weekend of August, we’ll transition fully into the fall season, a period that offers excellent opportunity for well-positioned properties.
Our fall strategy focuses on:
Competitive, data-driven pricing
Marketing the unique appeal of fall at the beach, cooler weather, fewer crowds, and lower rates
Flexible minimum night stays to encourage midweek and shorter bookings
As always, we will keep a close eye on market trends and make dynamic adjustments to maximize your revenue.