The Pro Family Spring Break Coalition of Panama City Beach, Fla., which in 2007 put out a press release about its efforts to “fight back against college spring break,” has disbanded, though the businesses that made up the group still actively market to families. For the second year in a row the city has teamed up with mtvU, MTV’s college network, with two weeks of live performances and undulating student crowds from March 8 to 21.
“We’ve realized that we need to encourage college students to come but make sure we’re not excluding families,” said Dan Rowe, president of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Even Daytona Beach, Fla., which continues to market to families rather than students, acknowledged that their business would be welcome. “We’re going to try and hold out,” said Tangela Boyd, a spokeswoman for the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Of course,” she quickly added, “if students came we’re not going to turn them away.”
The change of heart is a significant reversal for many of these beach destinations, which have been trying to shed their wild-child past as spring break meccas by courting families and hipsters with a new message and upscale developments. But the tough economy is forcing tourism-dependent areas to come up with new ways to attract visitors. And as the luxury market slumps, corporations cancel conventions and families tighten wallets, student travel is showing a certain resilience.
“The student market is always going to be there,” said Jacqueline Lewis, managing director of StudentCity.com, which reports “robust” bookings for spring break this year. After working hard at school and saving up, she said, “kids are going to go away.”
