Rob Varley Quotations

The price of gas will be a concern this year, and I think that the drive market has shrunk because of that. Nowadays, people are traveling within a 400-mile radius, rather than a 700-mile radius.

We're going after the incentives market, and we're going to be going after the smaller, upscale groups business.

We normally don't advertise for March through April, because it's a heavy time. Right now, the numbers are off, and we're rethinking that. We're also getting ready to kick off a campaign . . . to let people know we're open and better than ever.

The reason we've been getting the business is the rates are just better. They're getting a better deal.

We've had a vast amount of devastation to our hotels, particularly in the southern part of the county, and the hotel industry has had a rough time. Many hoteliers simply won't be able to rent their rooms out at $83 a night.

Bob cares a lot about the success of Cocoa Beach. He's a regular guy who isn't afraid of hard work. Let me tell you -- it was very difficult for the tourism industry after Sept. 11. We were hurting.

Another aspect of this is there are plenty of films and commercials that production companies are filming in zero gravity, so there's even more opportunity there. We want this to happen.

February and March should be banner months for us. We'll have all the hotels open, and we'll be ready to go.

This is a big issue because we do almost 180,000 room nights a year here from government workers, and they're a supportive bunch. If they force the issue, a lot of the hotels that normally take that business will refuse it.

This is the last big weekend before the slow season kicks in.

It's a new market mix we haven't been able to chase before. We've had good response.

The Canadian market is strong, but the U.K. market is the No. 1 overseas market. We do around 40,000 British visitors a year. The Dutch market is a growing market, along with the German market. Right now, it's a real bargain to come over here.

Initially, it would affect us, with Delta filing bankruptcy. The company could lose customers because people could be afraid to buy a ticket.

I have never met anybody who went out and saw a launch and didn't come away awestruck.

I don't know how strong it's going to be. First of all, I haven't seen the promotions going on, so we're not exactly sure when it's opening, and that's unusual. I'm sure, once they get a head of steam rolling, they'll promote it. I don't think their promotion has been real heavy.

The hotels in the south are opening, and that's a good thing.