When People Travel Less, Trust Matters More

I’ve been having the same conversation over and over lately.

Things feel slower. Not just for one business. Not just in one industry.

Retail. Restaurants. Designers. Builders. Wellness. Real estate. Everyone is asking some version of, “Is it just us?”

It’s not.

If you’re in a seasonal market, you already know how much business ebbs and flows. What’s changed is how predictable that flow feels. People are traveling differently. Trips cost more. Decisions take longer. Even when visitors do come, they’re more selective about where they spend.

Recent data from Visit Sarasota reflects what many businesses are already seeing day to day. Fewer visitors. Lower occupancy. Fewer room nights sold. Higher costs across the board.

This isn’t about tourism failing. It’s about behavior shifting.

And when behavior shifts, the way businesses build stability has to shift too.

Here’s the part that matters most:

When people travel less, trust matters more.

Not in an abstract way. In a very practical one.

When things feel uncertain, people stop experimenting. They don’t want to guess. They don’t want to try five new places. They go back to what they already know feels solid.

That’s why the businesses that stay steady during slower periods usually have one thing in common. They aren’t scrambling to introduce themselves when things soften. They’re already familiar.

That familiarity doesn’t come from one campaign or one busy season. It’s built intentionally, over time.

That In-Between Moment

Most businesses don’t get stuck when things are chaotic, and they don’t get stuck when things are going well. They get stuck in the space in between.

When it’s not busy enough to feel confident, but not slow enough to stop and plan. When you’re half-reacting and half-waiting. When you keep telling yourself you’ll get to it once things pick up again.

That’s usually the window that matters most.

That in-between time is when you can actually make things easier on your future self. Tighten what’s loose. Get clear on what you want people to remember about you. Decide what deserves attention and what doesn’t.

It’s not about overhauling everything. It’s about removing friction before the next surge hits.

Because when things get busy again, they move fast. And whatever isn’t clear by then gets louder, messier, and harder to fix.

Where to Start

If you’re sitting in that in-between space right now, start small and be honest.

Ask yourself what people already associate with your brand today. Not what you hope they see, but what they actually recognize. That’s your starting point.

Pay attention to where you go quiet. Those gaps are often where familiarity fades. Staying visible doesn’t mean pushing promotions. It means staying present.

Use this time to tighten the basics. Make sure your story sounds the same everywhere. Make sure your systems support follow-through. Make sure your team knows what matters now and what can wait.

Focus on the relationships you already have. Past customers. Local partners. People who already trust you. Strengthening those connections almost always creates more stability than chasing something brand new when things feel uncertain.

None of this is flashy or super exciting, but it’s how businesses make the busy times feel less frantic and the slow times feel less scary. When things are busy, there’s no time to plan. When things slow down, there’s finally breathing room, but often no clear direction. Strategy gets pushed. Preparation gets delayed. Not out of laziness, but out of sheer exhaustion.

This is where I say HI, YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE. The struggle is real for all of us, and we’re dealing with this in our own business, too. (This is one of those coachable but reflective moments for sure.)

The brands that weather these moments best tend to use slower periods differently. They don’t panic, but they also don’t go quiet.

They use the time to:

• Get clear on what they want to be known for

• Tighten how their story shows up across channels

• Strengthen relationships they already have instead of chasing new ones

• Stay visible in ways that feel natural, not promotional

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things consistently. In seasonal markets, tourism brings attention. That will always be true. But attention alone doesn’t create stability. Community does.

When locals recognize you. When people feel like they know who you are and what you stand for. When your presence doesn’t disappear the moment season fades. That trust gives businesses breathing room. It smooths the gaps. It makes the ebbs feel manageable instead of alarming.

And the truth is, this moment doesn’t require a full reinvention. It requires intention.

Staying present.
Staying consistent.
Using slower time to prepare instead of waiting for things to magically pick back up.

It doesn’t fix everything overnight. But it changes the trajectory.

And in markets like ours, that matters.