DESTIN - At least one resort is banking on packing their property by helping tourists overcome the pain at the pump.
The Gas Package offered by the Four Points by Sheraton Destin-Fort Walton Beach offers patrons a $50 gas card upon departure, with a 4-night minimum stay.
“We went with that because a lot of our business is a drive market,” said Nicole Dobbins, sales manager for the hotel. “We figured a way to combat that is to offer a gas card.”
The goal, Dobbins says, is to overcome gas prices as a vacation barrier. Currently local fuel prices are closing in on $3.50 a gallon.
“It’s a win-win. It keeps us going and it alleviates some of the costs associated with their trip,” she said.
Though gas prices have never been higher and the economy is sluggish, Destinites and hospitality employees should not expect a shortage of tourists anytime soon, said Darrel Jones, executive director of the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council.
Jones said the 35,000-plus Northwest Floridians employed in the hospitality industry should have no fear of layoffs on the horizon, particularly because the addition of new flights at Okaloosa Regional Airport has opened up the area to more fly-in tourists.
He said that ultimately gas prices are only one piece of a tourism-based economy.
“The gas prices, economy, unemployment, stock market and inventory are all factors that contribute,” he said.
But despite the gloom, he said, local tourism numbers are still showing gains, and getaways will continue to be a priority for a stressed-out society.
“People will still take their vacation,” Jones told The Log.