By Paulina Goping, Staff Writer
“Jumanji… We’re on level nine, right?”
That’s what Dawn Schaeffer, one of the owners of Colington Creek Inn, said jokingly when asked to sum up this year’s tourism season in one word. Though this year may seem as unreal as a video game, it sadly is not.
Just like every year, tourists have hit the roads in their cars and RVs for a relaxing vacation on the Outer Banks. But this year’s season has brought more people than ever, and they just keep coming and coming throughout the fall. RV campgrounds and vacation rental occupancy rates have also soared, creating a season described as crazy, intense, surprising and phenomenal.
But, this year’s season started off less than “fantastic.” In March, the bridges were closed to all non-residents, creating a slow start to the beginning of the season.
“I thought there may be no season,” said Katie Sharp, owner of 14 Airbnb rentals. “We didn’t know what was happening. It was very scary.”
But all fears were gone when the bridges were opened and the tourists came pouring in.
“It was like the floodgates opened. My phone went from being dead silent for eight weeks to just like boom, boom, boom,” Sharp said. “I have been booked solid since May 17.”
Sharp isn’t the only one who has experienced being booked at capacity throughout this summer and fall.
“The months of July, August, and thus far already in September, we’ve had no availability,” said Jeff McGee, Assistant Operations Manager for Property Management for Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates. “I believe we may have an overall 570+ vacation rentals. We have maybe a total of five vacation rentals (available) for the rest of (September). Normally once you see Labor Day, you start seeing occupancy rates decline and we certainly have not seen it slowing down this year.”
Occupancy rates have also been high for RV campgrounds on the Outer Banks. Due to COVID, RV rentals and sales have skyrocketed all over the country since people want to travel safely during the pandemic.
“Normally, after Labor Day you can roll a bowling ball down the (Camp Hatteras) campground and not hit anything,” said Paul Kauffman, owner of Outer Banks Camper RV & Trailer supplies, who has one location at Camp Hatteras Campground.
Instead, some 300 people packed into the campground the second week of September. Other campgrounds have experienced the same situation.
“We have definitely seen an increase this year,” said Johanna Beasley of OBX Campground. “We have been busier and we’ve seen more people saying that they’re camping due to COVID. Many people are excited to camp in their own RVs where they have their own facilities, bedding, toiletries. They don’t have to worry about germs.”
While COVID has placed a big importance on cleanliness, many companies on the Outer Banks have already been focusing on the issue.
“Our cleaning companies had already been following the CDC guidelines for cleaning, so it wasn’t a massive change in their standards other than with high-touch objects,” McGee said. “Light switches, remote controls, appliances, doorknobs, any doors going out and in, and locks.”
Of course, some things were changed to better adapt to COVID at the campgrounds.
“Our bathhouses are closed. We don’t have toilets or showers for anyone, so only RVs can come in camping and they have to be self-sufficient to hook up to water and sewer,” Beasley said. “We also work out of a window instead of having people in our office.”
Another thing businesses had to adapt to was changes in availability of supplies.
“I have more stuff on backorder than I ever have,” Kauffman explained. “I bet there’s 120 items on backorder.”
When COVID started, cleaning supplies in stores were gone. Some people were able to stock up, but others had to pay increased prices for needed supplies.
“Hydrogen peroxide,” Schaeffer said. “which is one of our primary cleaning supplies, went from being 50 cents a bottle to $4 a bottle.”
Welcome to level nine. As people have the option to work and take classes remotely, there are estimates that this year’s tourist season may not end until Thanksgiving, making it one of the best rental seasons ever for all those flocking to the OBX to leave their own world behind.
Sophomore Paulina Goping can be reached at 23gopingpa94@daretolearn.org.
