Usually this time of year, Gainesville is crowded with students and professionals who work in the city. But there aren't as many tourists joining them. Coming to the City of Gainesville for a football game or a festival helps with the city's revenue. But what do you do when you're in the slow season and there's no events to take part in? Hotels are now looking for other ways to keep those same liable customers coming back.
According to Visit Gainesville.com, tourism has gone down by eight percent since the beginning of this year. Hotels like the Cabot Lodge have seen a thirteen percent decrease just in this year alone.
Now hotels are running specials just to keep their business alive. Like advertising on popular travel agency websites, ads in the newspaper and upgrading the look of the hotel over all. Roland Loog of Visit Gainesville says, " We're not looking to advertise to the Northeast or the Midwest, we want to advertise in the state". Targetting nature travelers and people interested in cultural events will bring the city some business in the slow season.