April 15--HOLMES BEACH -- Manatee County recorded a tourism economic impact of $161,898,259 last year, an economist said Monday.

The number represents a considerable increase over the previous year, said Walter J. Klages, president/chief executive officer for Research Data Services Inc., of Tampa.

Klages explained that the reason the numbers were so good was because Manatee County offered a "very different product" from the rest of the region.

"It's a part of Florida you can't find, really, anywhere else on the Gulf coast," he added after the Tourist Development Council meeting at Holmes Beach City Hall.

The Bradenton area and its Gulf beaches do not have a "Chinese wall" of gigantic condos and hotels, and has maintained a friendly style of relaxation and peace that matters to vacationers, Klages said.

"They're coming out of an urban cauldron," he said, noting that visitors seek some place to stretch out and relax, and yet they also want amenities like quality accommodations and restaurants.

Sara Kennedy, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7031. Follow her on Twitter @sarawrites.com.

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