Dare meals figures jump 61 percent, occupancy drops double digits in Oct.; Retail sales down slightly in Sept.
October was a strong month for prepared meal sales in Dare County, while there was a double-digit decline in gross occupancy collections. And retail sales were down just slightly in the month of September.
Gross collections on meals set a new record in October of $30.36 million, an increase of 60.92% from 2022, according to figures reported to the Dare County Tourism Board at their December 14 meeting.
It’s the largest percentage increase of any month this year. January and June were the only other months with double-digit growth.
Gross meals collections for the year total $353.7 million through October, 7.42% ahead of 2022, remaining on pace to set a new calendar year record for a fifth straight year.
Roanoke Island had the biggest October increase in meals collections, growing by 124.68% over a year ago. The northern beaches saw an increase of 56.07% and Hatteras Island was up 55.42%.
On the occupancy side, collections in October totaled $35.91 million, down 17.58% from a year ago ($43.57 million). For the year-to-date, occupancy collections total $794.24 million, 1.11% ahead of 2022 ($785.49 million).
The only sector to see an increase from last October was online travel (+15.8%). Bed and breakfasts had the biggest decline (-51.2%), followed by property management (-21.1%), timeshares (-16.8%), campgrounds (-15.9%), other rental properties (-5.5%), hotel/motel (-0.53%), and cottage courts (-0.26%).
Hatteras Island had a 4.84% decline in gross occupancy collections, while Roanoke Island and the mainland were up 16.64%, and the northern beach towns increased 2.19%.
September retail sales collections in October totaled $15.39 million, down 0.55% from the year prior ($15.47 million). That ended a streak of three straight months of increases. May was the only other month this year to have a decline (-9.6%).
Through the first nine months of 2023, retail sales in Dare County totaled $91.55 million, growth of 2.61% compared to the same time in 2022 ($89.22 million).
