Mississippi Gulf Coast: A Report Restoration

2020: Power Through the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic initially posed a serious menace to the leisure-heavy Gulf Coast tourism trade, because the market solely benefited from one month of Spring Break journey earlier than the stay-at-home orders had been issued. Nonetheless, the state of Mississippi relaxed its COVID-19 restrictions ahead of aggressive markets in close by states, thereby permitting the state’s Secret Coast resorts to seize massive quantities of pent-up leisure demand. Because of this, occupancy and ADR for July and August almost reached pre-pandemic ranges.

The hurricane season can have a detrimental or optimistic impression on Gulf Coast markets. After Hurricane Sally made landfall close to the Mississippi coast in September 2020, occupancy and ADR ranges remained depressed till March 2021. Nonetheless, in the course of the risky first 12 months of the pandemic, the openings of the Mississippi Aquarium, the Lodge Legends in Biloxi, and the Pearl Lodge in Bay Saint Louis helped help the rise in tourism demand.

2021: Report Restoration

Tourism alongside the Gulf Coast rebounded much more strongly in 2021, reaching document ranges by the summer time. In response to officers at Coastal Mississippi, this surge in demand was due partially to the complete reopening of casinos and resorts within the spring. Moreover, different areas within the Southeast adhered to extra restrictive social distancing and masks necessities. For instance, some market contributors report that proof-of-vaccination necessities in cities like New Orleans made Mississippi, which didn’t have such necessities, a extra enticing drive-to vacation spot in the summertime of 2021.

Hurricane season affected the market once more in 2021. That 12 months, the landfall of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana over the past days of August led to document occupancy and ADR ranges, as residents with out energy had been displaced to this market, and infrastructure restore staff stuffed accommodations all through the area.

2022: A New Regular?

Essentially the most stunning results of this post-pandemic increase was the speed progress that continued by 2022. Whereas demand remained robust, occupancy ranges started to normalize within the low season as aggressive markets reopened; nevertheless, year-end RevPAR nonetheless climbed previous the robust 2021 outcomes.

Trying Ahead

Renovations at native accommodations, increasing points of interest, and new upscale resort stock, as detailed under, ought to assist elevate the profile of the Gulf Coast as a drive-to leisure vacation spot going ahead.

• In September 2022, Beau Rivage Resort & On line casino accomplished a $55-million guestroom renovation that included updates to the facilities and state-of-the-art know-how.
• Renovations and repairs started at Ocean Springs’ historic Gulf Hills Lodge + Resort below new possession in 2021/22. Updates by year-end 2023 are anticipated to incorporate the addition of an outside marriage ceremony chapel and extra guestrooms. The identical builders are increasing The Beatnik following a profitable improve in room depend at The Roost.
• Paradise Pier Enjoyable Park opened on the Margaritaville Resort Biloxi in March 2023, that includes a 20-story Ferris wheel, a curler coaster, a number of different rides, and the Aerobar, a rotating bar that rises to 115 toes and supplies a view of the Gulf. The second section of the property’s growth will embody a brand new guestroom tower, although a completion date for this addition has not been introduced.
• The White Home Lodge suite growth and occasion venue will likely be developed adjoining to a brand new luxurious suite property often known as Aqua Suites on Seaside Boulevard in Biloxi. Opening dates for these tasks haven’t been introduced.
• In February 2023, builders broke floor on the Lodge Whisky in Downtown Pascagoula, which can open initially with 16 rooms. An extra 40 rooms might be added in a second section.
• The Bella in Biloxi will open within the fall of 2023, including a boutique lodging choice to help the brand new occasion venues which have opened on Howard Avenue in recent times.
• A brand new upscale resort often known as Blue Water Seaside has been introduced for the coast, although no timeline for opening has been confirmed. The $410-million resort advanced in D’Iberville is deliberate to be affiliated with Sports activities Illustrated. It’ll embody accommodations, eating places, bars, retail areas, leisure venues, and an eleven-acre synthetic lagoon and seaside.
• An growth of Stennis Worldwide Airport will enable heavier planes to land and improve operational capability, supporting authorities and industrial employers within the area.

We observe that, following two years of robust demand, native market contributors expect tendencies to normalize in 2023 given the next components:

• Together with indicators resembling excessive fuel costs and slowing financial tendencies, an earlier begin to the varsity 12 months for a lot of Mississippi districts in 2023 will reportedly deliver peak days all the way down to 73 from 110 in the course of the summer time season.
• Different competitor markets reopened in March, drawing away some demand.
• The persistent reputation of short-term leases by firms resembling Airbnb can be affecting occupancy ranges.

Nonetheless, continued fee will increase ought to offset any occupancy losses, and RevPAR for year-end 2023 within the Coastal Mississippi space is anticipated to stay just like the 2022 stage.

For extra info on this area, contact Lauren Hock, HVS Director and Gulf Coast Chief.

Jane Rogers additionally contributed to this text.

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