Beach businesses bounce back for New Year

Clearwater, Florida - Despite being a bit breezy and cool on the first day of 2009, tourists were hot to trot on Clearwater beach.

The Gergoly family came to Clearwater to get out of the cold in Ontario, Canada. "It's absolutely gorgeous. The sand is so white and the weather is gorgeous," said Elizabeth Gergoly.

Ron Roberts felt the same way about his hometown in the Mid-west, "To get out of Iowa this time of year when it is below zero for days on end, this is very nice for us!"

It is very nice for beach businesses to see so many tourists turning out in 2009 after a not-so-great 2008.

Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise has been sailing out of Clearwater Municipal Marina for more than a decade. Pirate employee 'Jewel Thief Julie' said, "I've been here for seven years and this was our slowest year yet."

Today, the five-o-clock Pirate tour was practically packed with people. "A lot of people have come out. I don't know if it is because of gas going down or what but everyone is starting to travel again," said 'Jewel Thief Julie.'

The message is the same across the street at Crabby Bill's Seafood restaurant. "It was pretty bad last year because we didn't have a lot of snowbirds at all. Now, we're starting to see them. The Outback Bowl really helped," said manager Daniel Bindman.

The Roberts family took their vacation from Iowa so they could root for the Hawkeyes at the game. "It was a nice crowd for the game, then, we came to the beach!" said the Roberts family.

If the Outback Bowl brought in business for the beaches, imagine what the Super Bowl will do! The last time the big game came to the Bay area in 2001, it meant $250 million for our local economy.

If January 1st is any indication of the New Year, beach businesses could be bouncing back in 2009.