ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. (WNCT) – This Labor Day holiday marks the unofficial end of the summer season.
Local restaurants and shops tell WNCT that despite coastal towns being in the headlines this summer for things like shark attacks, deck collapses and inconsistent weather, this year’s summer season has been one of the best they’ve seen in years.
In August, Governor Pat McCrory announced North Carolina spent a record 21.3 billion dollars statewide in 2014 for tourism, an increase of 5.5 percent from the previous year.
Some businesses in Atlantic Beach say they’ve seen higher, more like a thirty percent increase in sales this summer compared to last.
“This summer has been very busy, we haven’t had a dead moment at all. Sales have been good, rentals have been good, also services,” said Crystal Coast Bicycles Owner David Statum.
While tourism plays a major role in North Carolina’s economic development, one store manager says beach towns are now starting to feel the impact service members bring to coastal towns.
“There’s been an increase in military. A lot of the military used to go to Myrtle Beach, they would go to Wilmington, and they found that they can come here, taxi rides are inexpensive, a lot of great restaurants here, a lot of home grown people in the South,” said The Crabs Claw Manager Justin Dowdy.
Carteret County, where Atlantic Beach is located, landed in the top three counties in the state where the largest percent increase was in visitor spending.
Another local owner says she agrees, calling this summer one of the best times economically she’s seen in years.
“Well it’s been a great summer, this summer was up from last year we’ve had a really great season,” said Janice Bynum, Owner of The Tacklebox Tavern.
Even with the summer coming to an end, The Crab’s Claw says during the off season they supplement income by catering large events and Tackle Box Tavern and Crystal Coast Bicycles have an increase of locals coming in.
Store owners also say they hope local festivals like the North Carolina Seafood Festival held in October will continue to bring big bucks into the Crystal Coast.
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