Outer Banks businesses embrace beachgoers

T.J. Abbott wheeled a blue bicycle away from a beach rental shop last week, heading toward the Beach Road in Kill Devil Hills. Hope Abbott, his wife of 44 years, trailed close behind with her own rented blue bike.

The Walnut Cove, N.C., couple were planning do some leisurely two-wheeler sightseeing. They liked that there was no crazy traffic to worry about or big crowds to swerve around. Soft ocean breezes, blue skies streaked with wisps of clouds and mild temperatures made the couple's fifth Easter week vacation at their Outer Banks time share exactly what they were hoping for.

Shops and eateries were busy last week, but the beach was where everyone was flocking. Almost every beach access

parking lot was at least partially filled with vehicles, many with out-of-town plates.

Most beachgoers, relaxing in a chair or l ying on a blanket, were just sunbathing or reading. Others tossed a Frisbee, flew kites and played ball with their dogs. Many people wore bathing suits, but few ventured into the still ice-cold water.

The fortuitous convergence of pretty weather and spring break for schools helped make the weeks before and after Easter on the Outer Banks pleasantly bustling for tourists and reassuring for business owners.

Easter has often been regarded as the bellwether for the summer tourism season.

"Last year at this time, we were in full panic mode," said John Bone, the president of the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.

Two major economic indicators for 2009 reflected that the fears had some grounding: Occupancy rates in 2009 in Dare County were down 1.78 percent, Bone said, and restaurant receipts last year were down 1.17 percent. Both figures are measurements of the health of the tourism industry.

That was the first time he remembers those numbers creeping down, Bone said, but they were better than the 15 to 20 percent downturn in those indicators seen at many other resort areas.

If anything, the steady Easter traffic was reassurance that the Outer Banks is still a favorite tourist destination.

"We were very, very busy," said Jennifer Cox, park ranger at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head. "We were just as busy on Easter weekend as we are on the busiest summer weekend."

GeeGee Rosell, owner of Buxton Village Books, said the sunny weather put everyone in a cheerful mood, and there were plenty of spring-breakers shopping and dining on the island.

Despite that, she said, people are still holding their wallets tight.

"Everybody is very mindful of how they're spending money," Rosell said. "It's still a time of caution, but I think we've reached a plateau."

A poll of a cross-section of local businesses conducted early last week by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau revealed that after the Easter weekend, 42 percent of respondents feel "somewhat or much better" about the summer.

Healthy hotel and motel bookings over the holiday indicate that many travelers decided spontaneously to visit, said Lee Nettles, the bureau's managing director. At the same time, most large vacation rental companies are reporting summer bookings at pace or exceeding expectations, and Easter only made them more optimistic.

Sun Realty, for instance, which manages properties from Corolla to Hatteras village, saw an 8 percent increase this year in Easter arrivals, said Ali Breaux, the company's president. Breaux said that's a positive lead-in to the busy season.

"Summer reservations right now are up double digits," she said. "It's nice to start the year off with a bang instead of a shudder."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com