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Spring Break Problems vs. Economic Impact
03/19/09 - 10:20 AM
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click for larger image Panama City Beach, Fla:

Is Spring Break more trouble than it’s worth? 

That’s a question tourism experts have struffled to answer during the past year.  Now, three separate incidents in one week, could put that discussion back on the table.

“I’m here on Spring Break and am concerned about my safety,” says Alabama student Annie Troxler, “but I also wanna have fun.”

Annie Troxler is one of 200,000 students who come to Panama City Beach for Spring Break.  Tourism experts believe these students help generate $71.7 milllion to the local economy.

“It’s not just college spring break,” says Tourist Development Council Director Dan Rowe.  “We have a number of Winter Residents that are with us.  This week all the Alabama school systems are on Spring Break so we have a lot of families.”

This year alone, the TDC spent $1.6 million on marketing Panama City Beach to tourists.  Illinois Resident Jan Hillier heard Panama City Beach advertisements on the radio in her home town.

“They were telling of the Emerald water and the sandy white beaches.”

12.5% of marketing is geared toward college students.  This year the TDC entered a $200,000 agreement to advertise on MTV-U.

“They (MTV-U) promote an ‘act responsibly’ message.  So they have been a good partner for us, but at times kids do get out of control.”

It was at an MTV-U presentation of Lil’ Wayne, last Thursday, when two people received stab wounds from a broken beer bottle.  Two nights later, a 19 year old girl was shot in the torso in the median of the road.  Wednesday, a 21 year old was found dead in a ditch.  Jan Hillier says these incidents hurt PCB’s reputation.

“Yeah I think it does, but whenever you have young people around, and there’s drinking and partying you’re going to have that kind of behavior.”

The kind of behavior emergency personnel plan for every year.  Bay Medical EMS spends $100 an hour to staff an extra ambulance from noon to midnight.  They receive 30% more calls than slower months.  Panama City Beach Police now has a full staff of sworn officers who work overtime when needed.  While that cost is undetermined, officials say the population influx takes a toll on services.

“Obviously you have to prioritize calls,” says PCB Police Major Dave Humphries.  He insists response time remains good on the beach during the busy season.

Even without crime, there’s still plenty of trash.  During Spring Break, the TDC spends $5,000 a day to clean the beach. 

These are all expenses to consider as the Tourist Development Council picks up the debate again on whether to partner with MTV-U next year.

“We do have to take a hard look at the overall image of Panama City Beach, because there’s different feelings on that regard whether we should be in the Spring Break business or not.”

 

User Comments

I’VE HAD A BUSINESS ON AND OFF ON PCB FOR OVER 25 YEARS. I’VE SEEN ALOT OF SPRINGS BREAKS COME AND GO. IN CASE ANYONE HAS FORGOTTEN, THERE ARE ALWAYS CRIMES, THERE ALWAYS WILL BE CRIMES. JUST LOOK AT ANY CITY, READ THE PAPERS, WATCH THE AIR WAVES. CRIME IS HAPPENING WITH OR WITHOUT SPRING BREAK. WHAT MATTERS FOR A TOWN WITH A GREAT BEACH IS THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO KEEP THE BEACH. WITHOUT TOURISTS AND THAT INCLUDES SPRING BREAKERS, LIKE IT ALWAYS HAS, WE CANT AFFORD HOUSING, RESTAURANTS, MOTELS, STORES ETC…. NO SPRING BREAK = NO JOBS

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  03/19  at  05:20 PM

YOU TOOK OFFENSE TO WHAT I WROTE INSTEAD OF STATING YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE ECONOMY DURING SPRING BREAK!! REGARDLESS OF THEY SERVED IN THE MILITARY OR NOT DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RUIN OUR MAIN WAY OF MAKING MONEY HERE IN PANAMA CITY!!!  PANAMA CITY DOESNT HAVE ANY BIG CORPORATIONS HERE…IF WE DID WE COULD THRIVE WITH OUT SPRING BREAK. THERE ARE NO DECENT JOBS HERE AND IF YOU HAVENT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEW UNEMPLOYMENT IS HIGH HERE IN BAY COUNTY!

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  03/19  at  05:06 PM

The retirees that live in this area are entitiled to their opinions,just as you are. It says a lot about you,that you are unwilling to allow this freedom to this group of people. The comments, that I have read on this thread,have expressed many people’s view on how this city should go about shaping it’s economic model,so as to best serve ALL of it’s citizens. For the most part, people have been tolerant of other people’s opinions that don’t happen to coincide with their own. However, we will always come across individuals in this life that insist that their ideas are the only ones that are valid. Let us just remember,that in a free society,the ability to express ourselves is one of the freedoms that we have fought hard to keep. Further,many of these very retirees are the very ones that served in our military to insure that we keep these rights. Let us not be so quick to dismiss them as irrelevant. Thanks.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  03/19  at  04:04 PM

PANAMA CITY NEEDS SPRING BREAK! THAT IS HOW PANAMA CITY CAME ABOUT. ALL THESE RETIREES ARE RUINING OUR ECONOMY BY TRYING TO PUT A STOP TO IT BY TRYING TO MAKE IT FAMILY ORIENTED. LOOK @ ALL THE OTHER PLACES THAT TOOK AWAY SPRING BREAK LIKE DAYTONA, GALVESTON TEXAS, ETC, THEY ALL SUFFERED A MASSIVE BLOW TO THERE ECONOMY! TOURIST SHOULD HAVE A AGE LIMIT. 71.7 MILLION ITS A LOT OF MONEY TO LOSE! ARE WE GOING TO BE DUMB LIKE THE REST OF THE PLACES JUST TO MAKE THE RETIREES HAPPY? SPRING BREAK IS ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR…DEAL WITH IT RETIREES IF YOU DONT LIKE IT THERE IS ALWAYS WEST PALM BEACH!!!!

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  03/19  at  03:22 PM
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