More than 100k bikers descend on Daytona Beach trends now
More than 100,000 bikers have descended on Daytona Beach for the annual bike week, complete with fun activities, such as coleslaw bikini wrestling and wet t-shirt contests.
The 2023 Bike Week has already garnered larger numbers than in previous years as thousands have crowded the streets of Daytona Beach. Before the event even started on March 4, locals were noticing more motorcycles cruising their streets than normal and only more will pour in as the event runs until March 13.
The event winds through various counties - Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval, and others - and the event is estimated to see up to 400,000 visitors throughout the 10 days.
Local hotels reported higher reservation numbers than normal, with CEO of Ormond Beach-based Elite Hospitality Inc, Manoj Bhoola, expecting his hotels' 533 rooms to be completely sold out by the end of the event.
'Unlike last year, we had reservations start to come in two to three months in advance,' he told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. 'With people trying to get back to the new normal, enthusiasm around the outdoor events like this one is extremely high. We are seeing that the majority of our customers are from other states than Florida.'
The 2023 Bike Week has already garnered larger numbers than in previous years as thousands have crowded the streets of Daytona Beach
Before the event even started on March 4, locals were noticing more motorcycles cruising their streets than normal and only more will pour in as the event runs until March 13.
The event runs through various counties - Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval, and others - and the event is estimated to see up to 400,000 visitors throughout the 10 days
The area's largest hotel, the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, said its 744 rooms would be '100 percent sold-out each night.'
'Without question, Bike Week 2022 looks to be one of the best performing events ever within our destination,' General Manager Jim Berkley told the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Last year's event was shrouded under the uncertainty of the pandemic, but as nearly all COVID-19 protocols have been dropped nationwide, this year's bikers are ready to rock and roll.
Janet Kersey, who works for the Chamber of Commerce and helps organize the event, said the number of out-of-state visitors is already higher and she's noticed a lot of different license plates on the riders.
'It’s pretty awesome,' she
