In 2004, the entire Outer Banks had a total gross occupancy income of 1,686,783 during the month of January, and in 2017, this number was 7,131,148 ? roughly a 423% increase over the course of 13 years. Outside of personal experience, it helps even more to look at the numbers.Ī series of statistics provided by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau are a reliable indication that we are definitely becoming more popular in the wintertime, but it?s been a gradual process with a couple of speedbumps along the way ? i.e., 2011?s Irene and 2012?s Sandy. Personally, I recall coming down for weekends in December and January while I was in school in Raleigh, and frequenting two spots that were reliably open ? the relatively new Food Lion, and this ridiculously neat Avon hang-out that, to the best of my recollection, was a mechanic and body shop by day, and a hopping bar by night. To effectively notice the increase in wintertime business, it helps if you remember the winter landscape of the islands in the 1980s and 90s. So is it our imaginations, or is Hatteras Island gradually turning into more of a year-round destination? The temperatures have been deceiving to be sure, but there?s also still plenty of ?open? signs up and down the island, even in the wee hours of the night ? (also known locally as around 8:00 p.m.) It?s typical to see a flutter of activity leading up to the weekend after Turkey Day, and then relative quiet as restaurants and shops close for the season, and spend a couple months gearing up for the spring?s new wave of visitors.īut if you?ve been out and about on Hatteras Island this past week, it certainly doesn?t feel like the off season has officially arrived. The week of Thanksgiving has historically been considered the last big bang for a number of island businesses.
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