Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce data shows hotel bookings are down

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.- Data from the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce shows fewer people are booking hotels and short-term rentals this year. 

The chamber tracks the number of people who book accommodations in the nation's summer capital every year. Data from 2023 shows significant differences in comparison to 2022, with hotel bookings from the new year to July down almost 9,000 compared to the same period last year.

Chamber President Carol Everhart said the numbers in Sussex County are representative of other tourist towns across the country. 

"It's not just here. These things are happening in other locations," she Everhart.

Everhart attributes the lower numbers to a mix of bad weather and the overall economy. Some local businesses are also noticing a drop in sales this year.