DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As Daytona Beach roars into the second weekend of Bike Week, some hotels are reporting numbers exceeding their expectations. 

What You Need To Know

  • Daytona Beach hotels get boost from Bike Week

  • Some hotels report number that exceeded their expectations

  • Many businesses have spent the last year struggling because of the pandemic

At the Shores Resort and Spa, motorcycles line the entrance. It’s a welcome sight for General Manager Robert Burnetti. 

“The 10 days between the beginning of Bike Week and what is going to happen for the end of Bike Week has been our busiest 10 days since the pandemic started,”Burnetti said. “It’s been great.”

Burnetti said the hotel is sold out for this weekend and it was last weekend too, with steady occupancy numbers throughout the week. After spending the last 12 months struggling through the pandemic, he believes things are finally turning around. 

“You know our numbers are actually a little bit better this year than they were last year which I don’t recall a time period where I could really say that since we’ve been in these COVID times,” Burnetti said. 

He said that the roll out of vaccines and good news about infection rates play a factor, but so does cabin fever. While they are advising guests to follow the safety protocols they have in place, he said ultimately it is up to the individual. 

“Let’s face it, the tattoos and the inscription on people’s bikes don’t say make a rule and we will follow it, you know? They are much more about the freedom to do what they want to do,” Burnetti said.

Looking at his bookings, if things go well here and numbers stay down, he believes even more people will begin to travel to Daytona. 

“As it got closer, things filled up in a hurry and the good part about it is the booking momentum started kind of later on in February, it’s really carried right through into April so that booking window that we talk about is definitely stretching out a little bit, more people beyond bike week seem to be getting out to travel,” Burnetti said. 

Now the challenge is keeping up with that new demand.

“You know we are hiring, we are getting ready for what is coming," Burnetti said. 

He said it’s something all Daytona area hotels have been waiting for. 

 “I mean this is what we’ve wanted all along and this just amplifies how important these special events are to the Daytona Beach area market,” Burnetti said.