With Spring break arriving next month, students are likely anxiously counting down the days until it arrives. As students swarm to the beaches, amusement parks, and video game systems, towns may experience a nearly doubling in the size of their population. With those millions of young visitors, and despite college students being known as being the epitome of orderly conduct, cities experience drastic increases in crimes and disorderly conduct.
In 2022, the mayor of Miami Beach, Florida, imposed a ban on the sale of alcohol after 6 p.m. due to the number of rowdy college students and violent crimes committed. Miami Beach police arrested 322 people and took possession of 70 guns.
Detractors of these measures may argue that tourism is necessary for Miami Beach to survive due to the increase in visitors, driving up sales and boosting the local economy. However, a deeper analysis of the demographics visiting reveals that this assumption is not necessarily true. College students haven’t had the time to build up the capital and wealth that older generations have. This means that when on Spring break vacation, they are more likely to stay at unregulated dodgy hotels that provide no revenue for the government. Furthermore, college students are less likely to go to bars and order fine wines and champagnes, instead preferring to buy cheap beer from a local supermarket. This means that the city’s police need to work overtime to tame the crowds, and the tax revenue generated from the tourists is not nearly enough to cover the increased cost of policing. Lastly, economic data has suggested that Florida doesn’t need the increased tourism to stay afloat. Florida’s economy has been growing faster than any state on the East Coast, and its unemployment is the sixth lowest in the country. With all of these economic booms, Floridian residents are considering if it’s really necessary to have so heavily promoted tourism.
However, not all tourist towns have the same problems as Miami. In the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was one of the most popular Spring Break vacation stops. Countless Hollywood movies showcased its pristine beaches and vibrant cityscape. Droves of Americans were enticed by these images and began arriving at Fort Lauderdale en masse. Responding to this, city officials increased enforcement of drinking laws and bar capacity limits and raised the drinking age from 19 to 21. This led to the influx of Spring Breakers shrinking to almost a tenth of its original size. The current mayor of Fort Lauderdale has said that the tourists arriving at Fort Lauderdale are well-behaved and respectful. In fact, last year, police made only two arrests during the Spring Break time period.
This suggests that it’s possible to cultivate a respectful and orderly tourism population, providing benefits for both local businesses and college students who get to experience the amazing natural wonders of Florida. It’s important to establish curfews and promote the proper enforcement of drinking laws, and if this combination can be successfully executed, a city can experience the benefits of Spring Break without the adverse effects.
