Chamber releases survey of off-island visitors

A Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce survey on visitors to Gasparilla Island is still gathering submissions. It now has over 2,200 responses and almost 900 written comments and ideas.

“We wanted to show that day trippers, as everyone is calling them, do patronize the local shops,” said Gary Cross, executive director of the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce.

In the preliminary results, the majority of visitors are not from far away North Port, Venice or even Riverwood Community, but close by from South Gulf Cove and other areas in Cape Haze. The top responses are from South Gulf Cove, with over 500 responses; Rotonda West with over 300 responses; Grove City/Englewood with over 250 responses; and Englewood and Cape Haze with about 140 responses. Outside of the top five are zip codes in North Port, Port Charlotte, Riverwood Community and Punta Gorda.

“Most of those people are coming from right off island in our local community,” said Cross. “80 to 90 percent of them are spending money on the island.”

As far as the shoppers who responded, Cross believes that the contingent from Wellen Park and other fast-growing areas of Sarasota are heading toward other beaches that are closer and busier.

“I don’t believe people are driving this way,” said Cross. “They are taking 41 to Venice.”

The responses in the written comments have been encouraging to Cross as well. Some have even argued for better enforcement on the island. 

“Everybody wants to come out to the island, they want to support the local business,” said Cross.

Below, some of the responses from a few days ago, when there were about 2000 respondents.