Sanibel sees busiest start to season since Hurricane Ian

SANIBEL, Fla. —

More than three years after Hurricane Ian, Sanibel Island is seeing a surge of tourists, a jump in beach revenue and fewer contractor trucks on the roads.

On Tuesday, a major milestone was marked by the reopening of the historic Anchor Inn on Periwinkle Way.

The inn’s A-frame cottages, originally built in the 1950s, have been restored and raised for flood protection. The owners say the original charm stayed.

“We kept the bones of, like, every single building,” said owner Erica Markham. “The only thing we added was the dormer windows. So we cut out a staircase. It’s safer.”

Markham says hundreds of people messaged her during the renovation, and some even shed tears, thankful the old Anchor Inn would live on.

“This island is thriving right now, and I think a lot of people don’t know that,” she said. “Lots of businesses have renovated what they had before. The restaurants are all open and running.”

According to the Chamber of Commerce, 74% of the island’s hotel rooms are back, and many are booked. Beach parking revenue and museum attendance are both breaking records.

“Compared to last season? A lot less construction, a lot more tourism,” said Chamber President John Lai.

Longtime Sanibel resident and business owner Billy Kirkland has run Billy’s Bike Rentals for decades. He says this has been the busiest season since Ian, with numbers up 60% over the holidays.

“We’re probably down about 40% from pre-Ian,” Kirkland said. “You gotta have patience. We will come back bigger and better than we ever were.”

Staffing remains a challenge, with fewer affordable places to live on the island.

“Buying new equipment, trying to find new employees. So if you’re looking for a job, I’d love to have you here with us,” Kirkland said.

And while many favorites are back, some staples on Sanibel or Captiva, like the Mucky Duck, are still closed. Insurance delays and building complications have slowed down repairs for others.

Still, restaurants like Gramma Dot's are seeing lines out the door at lunchtime, and gift shops and beaches have busy parking lots. Tourism officials say there’s a new energy here, and they're hoping the island keeps welcoming back more visitors, all the way into summer.

“84% of our businesses are reopened outside of the hospitality industry. So we're very excited about that," said Lai. "The momentum — it’s not just an emotion. It’s something that you can almost tangibly feel.”

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