Milford chronicle., 1954-08-13
Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank
Reports on Current Trends

Most observers Of the business
scene apparently feel that the re-
cession has tbott0med OUT. Pro-
ducnon has been around the same
level for several months: dnem-
ployment has stopped rising con-
sumner buying IS holding rather
steady and inventory liquidation
IS slowing down Except for con-
struction and the stock market,
things seem pretty quiet
This IS business as usual for the
vacation season People are not
watching the economy so closely:
they have the weather, fishing, and
other things to think about. AS
they relax before having another
60 az earning a living, one senses
that the economy, too. is cOasting
along, rebuilding its forces for a
fan pickup
,0L course, ia some areas this is
the peak season. The Third Fed
eral Reserve District has many and
varied vacation spots-in the noun
tain and lake regions Of Pennsyl-
Vania and along the shores OF New
Jersey and Delaware. Here, spend
ing - families on their annual va
cations and over Week-ends is big
business in the hotels, restaurants,
retail shops, and amusement facili-
ties that operate "full blast" only
q few months each year. To gee
some idea of how this business is
going We have made a spot check.
The season started late
Businessmen and bankers tell us
that the 1854 resort season started
g little later than usual. There was
too much cool, wet weather during
the early weeks And many schools
closed somewhat later this year.
Consequently, the volume of early
season reservations was not up to
expectations But after the middle
Ql June, business picked up. Hotels
experienced 9 sharp increase in
bookings. Cottages were I'm much
greater demand. As week end
guests began arriving, restaurant,
retail store, and amusement re-
ceipts started a steady climb. BY
the end Of July, comparisons Of to-
tai business volume with a year
ago were increasingly favorable.
and much Of the early-season
gloom was forgotten
Reservations run for
shorter periods
An outstanding characteristic Of
the present season is the prevalence
Of shorter reservation periods. This
was mentioned in every resort area
we contacted; it was emphasized
in a significant number Of popular
places. In the PoconO region gen
orally, both juvenile and adult
camps were said to have fewer res
erVations for the entire season than
in 1853. Some attributed shorter
visits to smaller incomes. Others
spoke Of it as the continuance Of a
longtime trend away from spend
ing q substantial part Of vacation
time IN any one place. Seashore
areas were more keenly aware of
this development than some of the
mountain and lake resorts. And II
Of hotel than cottage bookings.
Restaurant business is expanding
Hotel dining rooms, particularly
ia the shore resorts, are not SO
crowded this season as room regis
ters might suggest. But they are
still well patrOnized, Along the At
lantic Coast from Rehoboth Beach
ia Delaware to Toms River in New
Jersey many new restaurants,
snack bars, and roadside stands
have opened this year. The restau-
rant business also has grown in
the POcOnOs and in mountain re-
sort areas of sOuth-central Penn
sylFania. But these eating places
do not appear TO have attracted too
many guests from the large mOtels
in these resorts, their volume be-
ing more dependent on transient
trade. Restaurant owners complain
that their patrons are eating less
expensive meals this year; how
ever In almost the same breath
they remark that there are many
more especially over week
ends
Amusement receipts are heavy
Some resorts. both seashore and
mountain, still rely principally on
the natural surroundings for the
entertainment Of guests. But where
amusements are an additional fea-
ture. they are well patronized.
Early-season experience was SINH
lar to that of hotel owners and
restaurant prOprietors II business
was disappointing. Then warm.
sunny weather brought an influx
Of week-guests, and each succeed
Ing period appeared better than the
last Week-enders carried the
ball" we were told, until the arriv-
al Of more permanent visitors in
substantially larger numbers.
Week-ends are more important
Almost every type OF business
enterprise IN the principal resort
areas Of this District appears to be
counting on the week-enders more
heavily this season than in anv
other post-War year Better auto
mobiles ia the hands Of more peo-