12 more tons of trash the reason why coastal Del. officials optimistic about weekend impact
Trash. When the temperatures are as high they were over the holiday weekend, it’s usually a key player in an assault on the senses. But tourism officials in Delaware say this is the smell of success.
Trash is apparently a useful gauge, in terms of measuring visitors, over the fourth of July weekend in coastal Delaware.
“If you had 25 tons of refuge or trash in 2015, which we did, and you went to 37 tons in 2016, just this past 4th of July weekend, that’s an indicator of how much additional visitation you had in the area.” Said Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce President, Carol Everhart.
Everhart tells us that from Route One in Lewes down to Dewey Beach, it’s likely that more than 200,000 people celebrated the fourth in the area. Rehoboth Beach alone accounted for at least 80,000 of those visitors. She says based on that figure, tourists shelled out anywhere from $8 to16-million into the local economy per day depending on how many people stayed overnight.
“It’s critical. The visitor is our economic engine.” Said Everhart.
Businesses like the Rehoboth Toy and Kite Company felt the economic boost. Owner Rachel Webster says the holiday weekend was a near record setting one.
“Our best year was still around 2007-2008, as far as traffic and people, but we’re really giving that a run for it’s money,” Said Rachel Webster, the owner of the Rehoboth Beach Toy And Kite Co., “it was probably one of our busiest firework nights we’ve ever had at the boardwalk store. People we’re just on fire, it was great.”
While beach towns and their businesses celebrate the apparent economic gains, we’re told area residents can also benefit from a busy holiday weekend. Everhart says the out-of-town dollar helps make up 40% of the Rehoboth Beach budget. She says it also plays a role in plays a role in beach replenishment and increasing property values both in and outside of beach communities.
So despite the amount of trash left behind, it’s safe to say “clean up” after a busy holiday weekend just became a lot more bearable.
