Marco Island sees 4% drop in tourism, but businesses stay hopeful

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Marco Island business owners are staying positive, despite recent data showing a decline in visitor numbers to the popular Southwest Florida destination.

WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to a business owner on the island:

The entirety of Collier County remained steady over the last fiscal year, but the island, which relies heavily on tourism to drive its economy, experienced a 4% drop in total visitation over the past year, according to the Collier County tourism bureau.

While Collier County as a whole maintained steady tourism numbers during the last fiscal year, Marco Island specifically saw decreased foot traffic that local business owners said they noticed during the fall months.

"Fall was down a little bit I think, we were flatlined, but we're looking forward to a great season, everyone's excited and ready to go, so hopefully it works out," said George Ruddy, owner of Cav's Restaurant.

The tourism data also revealed that non-luxury travelers spent less money on Marco Island during the past six months, though the bureau's data did not specify the reasons behind these decreases.

Despite the numbers, business owners across the island remain hopeful that the upcoming months will bring increased visitor activity.

Marco Island's tourism-dependent economy makes these fluctuations particularly significant for local restaurants, hotels, and retail establishments that count on steady visitor flow throughout the year.

However, the bureau said since the county has luxury travel destinations, and due to their high-spend visitors, they are relatively insulated from excessive declines.