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More people here than normal

More people here than normal




This graph clearly shows the extra amount of people that were here in 2020 and 2021. It was pretty obvious that Sept/Oct had a lot more people here than are normally here that time of year. You can see around June 2020 when they reopened the bridge the people just kept coming.




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RE: More people here than normal




We totally agree and what a change we've seen the past two years! We've been coming for fifty, yes 50 years with kids, grandkids and now great grandkids. We noticed the huge change in 2020 and it continued in 2021! We rent in Nags Head/SNH in late September/October. We have never waited for a table at any of favorite restaurants and the past two years, we couldn't even get in some of them. The OBX have definitely been discovered since the Covid onset!


RE: More people here than normal




The two weeks in October I was here it felt packed. November seemed to have a fair number of people here, but the houses around me were mostly empty. After Thanksgiving it really dropped off. I could walk ~1.5 miles to the OBX pier and back late evening and not have a single car pass me on S Old Oregon Inlet Rd. The week of Christmas through New Years was again relatively busy and now it's empty again. I see almost all OBX plates on the bypass now. You can usually identify them without seeing the plate because they are always zipping in and out of traffic and you catch them at the next light. Apparently the inflation and gas prices aren't hitting those folks.


RE: More people here than normal




Less traveling abroad so more well-to-do folks looking for nice places here on the mainland. Prices reflect that.


RE: More people here than normal




When we were down in September it felt like a June crowd. It's not just the Outer Banks. Beaches further south are seeing the same increase. I agree, not being able to travel probably has a lot to do with it.


RE: More people here than normal




Empty now!!! LOL. (Helpful?)


RE: More people here than normal




Vertical-axis is $$, is that based on rental tax revenue? increase in visitors, subjectively yes, but higher rents and/or increased occupancy during the shoulder seasons equal more tax revenue. Interesting.


RE: More people here than normal




Vertical-axis is $$, is that based on rental tax revenue? increase in visitors, subjectively yes, but higher rents and/or increased occupancy during the shoulder seasons equal more tax revenue. Interesting.

hatterasnc


Tim's pic is actually the meals collection change. The occupancy collection is a different chart. View the whole video here... Click to follow link...


RE: More people here than normal




Vertical-axis is $$, is that based on rental tax revenue? increase in visitors, subjectively yes, but higher rents and/or increased occupancy during the shoulder seasons equal more tax revenue. Interesting.

hatterasnc


Tim's pic is actually the meals collection change. The occupancy collection is a different chart. View the whole video here... Click to follow link...

Mstaszew


Given that, it’s probably not a great barometer of the increased visitation. Many people didn’t dine out as much as they normally would for fear of exposure. The actual numbers have to be higher. I spent 21 days on the Island last year but didn’t dine out once. (Several take outs though.) But it was certainly more crowded wherever we went.


RE: More people here than normal




Vertical-axis is $$, is that based on rental tax revenue? increase in visitors, subjectively yes, but higher rents and/or increased occupancy during the shoulder seasons equal more tax revenue. Interesting.

hatterasnc


Tim's pic is actually the meals collection change. The occupancy collection is a different chart. View the whole video here... Click to follow link...

Mstaszew


Given that, it’s probably not a great barometer of the increased visitation. Many people didn’t dine out as much as they normally would for fear of exposure. The actual numbers have to be higher. I spent 21 days on the Island last year but didn’t dine out once. (Several take outs though.) But it was certainly more crowded wherever we went.

Squid Pro Quo


If it counts takeout, it likely skews the other way. Lots of us have been ordering takeout at greatly increased rates to keep our neighbors afloat.


RE: More people here than normal




Vertical-axis is $$, is that based on rental tax revenue? increase in visitors, subjectively yes, but higher rents and/or increased occupancy during the shoulder seasons equal more tax revenue. Interesting.

hatterasnc


Tim's pic is actually the meals collection change. The occupancy collection is a different chart. View the whole video here... Click to follow link...

Mstaszew


Given that, it’s probably not a great barometer of the increased visitation. Many people didn’t dine out as much as they normally would for fear of exposure. The actual numbers have to be higher. I spent 21 days on the Island last year but didn’t dine out once. (Several take outs though.) But it was certainly more crowded wherever we went.

Squid Pro Quo


I didn't watch or listen to the video other than scrolling through it to find the chart. Tim's pic cut off a lot of the data with the Vimeo stuff so I was curious and Googled it. As soon as I clicked Play on the link it revealed the "Meals collection" header. If the occupancy collection chart is based on occupancy taxes collected that would be a better measure and it's still a large increase. It's actually a larger increase in October than Tim's chart IIRC. Charts aside... the second and third weeks of October were a mad house here this year. Thanksgiving has always been somewhat popular and this year it was very busy. I actually had to walk down the beach to get away from folks so I could fish. :-)


RE: More people here than normal






I didn't watch or listen to the video other than scrolling through it to find the chart. Tim's pic cut off a lot of the data with the Vimeo stuff so I was curious and Googled it. As soon as I clicked Play on the link it revealed the "Meals collection" header. If the occupancy collection chart is based on occupancy taxes collected that would be a better measure and it's still a large increase. It's actually a larger increase in October than Tim's chart IIRC. Charts aside... the second and third weeks of October were a mad house here this year. Thanksgiving has always been somewhat popular and this year it was very busy. I actually had to walk down the beach to get away from folks so I could fish. :-)

Mstaszew


Some of that September and October was also probably displaced gulf coast vacations. Myrtle, Topsail, and even VB got a bit of a boost from it.


RE: More people here than normal




Yep, the graph shows exactly why we've stopped coming. Hopefully, these kinds of crowds aren't permanent. Hope to be back...someday. Sad smiley


RE: More people here than normal




Yep, the graph shows exactly why we've stopped coming. Hopefully, these kinds of crowds aren't permanent. Hope to be back...someday. Sad smiley

wahoo78
Respectfully, we have been there throughout early pandemic, shoulder seasons, Christmas, early spring, and prime time July over the last several years I can not speak for Northern beaches, but the "crowds" narrative is kind of bogus. Are restaurants more crowded? I guess. We don't come to OBX for restuarants, but I get it. Most likely a labor shortage. Are the beaches over crowded? Summer time? No change. Shoulder seasons? Yes, but not a problem, certainly not over crowded. I just don't get this narrative that it is a crowded thing.


RE: More people here than normal




Yep, the graph shows exactly why we've stopped coming. Hopefully, these kinds of crowds aren't permanent. Hope to be back...someday. Sad smiley

wahoo78
Respectfully, we have been there throughout early pandemic, shoulder seasons, Christmas, early spring, and prime time July over the last several years I can not speak for Northern beaches, but the "crowds" narrative is kind of bogus. Are restaurants more crowded? I guess. We don't come to OBX for restuarants, but I get it. Most likely a labor shortage. Are the beaches over crowded? Summer time? No change. Shoulder seasons? Yes, but not a problem, certainly not over crowded. I just don't get this narrative that it is a crowded thing.

Tortuga


Come to the Northern Beaches...it's not a narrative here.


RE: More people here than normal




Yep, the graph shows exactly why we've stopped coming. Hopefully, these kinds of crowds aren't permanent. Hope to be back...someday. Sad smiley

wahoo78
Respectfully, we have been there throughout early pandemic, shoulder seasons, Christmas, early spring, and prime time July over the last several years I can not speak for Northern beaches, but the "crowds" narrative is kind of bogus. Are restaurants more crowded? I guess. We don't come to OBX for restuarants, but I get it. Most likely a labor shortage. Are the beaches over crowded? Summer time? No change. Shoulder seasons? Yes, but not a problem, certainly not over crowded. I just don't get this narrative that it is a crowded thing.

Tortuga


Come to the Northern Beaches...it's not a narrative here.

Beach Farmer
Fair enough, but the prime season has not increased in density, perhaps the opposite on rentals. I have spent years on the Northern beaches, but for the same reason have moved South. If you go to the Northern beaches, then you get what the real estate density has been for years. Shoulder seasons having increased occupancy for many and they see a different scene...but to say it is crowded is a measure of perspective. As you are on the least dense areas....fine. But to compare the OBX experience as the Northern beach shoulder season experience is ridiculous. Especially when these renters expect access to restaurants and services where in the current situation, labor is not available when the summer help goes away.


RE: More people here than normal




Shoulder seasons having increased occupancy for many and they see a different scene...but to say it is crowded is a measure of perspective.

Tortuga


Yes, it is all perspective. That's really all one has to go on... the current state of things compared to how it used to be. Since mid-2000's the fall in Nags Head has seen an increased number of visitors, more so in the past couple years. My perspective is narrowly focused on how many homes near me are occupied and how busy the beach is. I have no comment on anything that would be affected by staffing issues.

But to compare the OBX experience as the Northern beach shoulder season experience is ridiculous.

Tortuga


FWIW, I spent 1/2 of October here and drove down to Hatteras between Rodanthe and Hatteras about 10 of those days. Kayaking, fishing the Point, and a trip to the Graveyard of the Atlantic museum. It was crowded there, too... based on perspective when comparing it to previous years, of course. Food Lion on turn day was crowded, but not insanely busy. The KOA campground in Rodanthe was as busy as I can ever remember seeing it in October. My Dad routinely takes his RV there for the entire month, usually getting a spot one or two rows back from the dunes. I'd visit him when our trips overlapped and the KOA would be largely empty. This year he was several rows back and the place had many more campers than just a few years ago. It was bustling with a lot of young, school age kids as well.

By no means were the Southern and Northern beaches busting at the seams, but it was crowded by the old standard and interrupted the flow I'm accustomed to at times. Laughing smiley


RE: More people here than normal




I just don't get this narrative that it is a crowded thing.

Tortuga


You perhaps missed the discussion earlier this year about the increased occupation of rental houses, by which I mean the number of people in a house in a given week.

Let's say a house has a listed capacity of 8, based on the number of bedrooms and baths. Three years ago, there might have been 4-8 people in the house. For the last two years, it's been more like 10-12. An easy way to get a sense of this is to count the number of cars in the driveway.

Someone speculated that the rising rental prices motivated renters to enlarge their groups to split the rent more ways. I don't know how true that is, but it seems plausible to me.

I'd also note, anecdotally, that lots of people posting on the board are talking about having come down two to three times a year instead of once or twice.

Yes, I live on the northern beaches. It has been much more crowded over the last two years based on what we've seen.


RE: More people here than normal




Yep, the graph shows exactly why we've stopped coming. Hopefully, these kinds of crowds aren't permanent. Hope to be back...someday. Sad smiley

wahoo78
Respectfully, we have been there throughout early pandemic, shoulder seasons, Christmas, early spring, and prime time July over the last several years I can not speak for Northern beaches, but the "crowds" narrative is kind of bogus. Are restaurants more crowded? I guess. We don't come to OBX for restuarants, but I get it. Most likely a labor shortage. Are the beaches over crowded? Summer time? No change. Shoulder seasons? Yes, but not a problem, certainly not over crowded. I just don't get this narrative that it is a crowded thing.

Tortuga


I don't agree that the crowds narrative is bogus. Many have reported on this board of significant increases in traffic during the week, 2+ hour waits for dining, double and triple the amount of cars parked at rentals, increased number of rowdy parties, more trash left on the beaches etc. And, you get to pay significantly increased rental rates for the privilege of putting up with all of this. We used to come to OBX to relax....for us, that's just not possible right now.


RE: More people here than normal




I think I’ve seen that the National seashore had record visitation in 20 and 21. My hunch/hope is that once the pandemic settles out that people will take to the friendly skies again for more exotic locations.


RE: More people here than normal





I don't agree that the crowds narrative is bogus. Many have reported on this board of significant increases in traffic during the week, 2+ hour waits for dining, double and triple the amount of cars parked at rentals, increased number of rowdy parties, more trash left on the beaches etc. And, you get to pay significantly increased rental rates for the privilege of putting up with all of this. We used to come to OBX to relax....for us, that's just not possible right now.

wahoo78


Fair enough. So traffic....yes more....a significant problem for HI? NOPE. Dining waits is an issue, but more of a labor shortage issue...either way, if that is what you are looking for....yep. Cars parked at rentals? I would agree, but do 30 people added to a beach access make a experiential difference? NOPE. I have not seen more rowdy parties, or trash left on the beach, but I do not deny that others see this. My experience is extended stays at Avon, Buxton, and Hatteras Village. I think we don't agree on the term "crowds" and I surmise that the shoulder seasons are the main times that "crowds" are driving this narrative. Our rental rates have not been jacked up. June in Buxton....up from $1500 2020 to $1620 2022, so less than 5% per year. Late July...Hatteras Village next...which is prime time..up 4% from last year on an $11,000 per week property.



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