Chambers of commerce report good business over Fourth of July weekend
Around New Hampshire, regional chambers of commerce are reporting a boost in visitors for the Fourth of July weekend.
Business officials said extreme heat affected the holiday weekend, but crowds still arrived to celebrate the Fourth of July.
"Overall, business in the Mount Washington Valley was exceptional over the Fourth of July weekend," said Chris Proulx, executive director of the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.
A busy weekend up north meant shoulder-to-shoulder crowds to celebrate America's 250th birthday and a sold-out weekend on the water.
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"You could not find a float tube for rent in the Mount Washington Valley over the Fourth of July weekend," Proulx said.
The heat played a role in bringing people to the region, but the chamber said it also kept some people away.
"Retail seems to be up," Proulx said. "But on the flip side, some of our restaurants reported being a little bit slower than usual over this Fourth of July weekend. And sometimes, dining is one of those indicators. It kind of indicates where discretionary spending is going."
The Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce reported a great weekend that brought tens of thousands of people to the beach, with hotels and motels sold out and parking lots filled.
But businesses on the strip said they were expecting to see more people stop by their establishments. The chamber said it believes more people brought their own food and beach gear to help offset some costs.
"Our assessment this year was a little higher than last year, and the weather was a definite reason why people came to the beach area," said John Nyhan, president of the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Officials said they're feeling optimistic for the summer season.