Galveston businesses cash in on blue water boom

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Galveston's blue water is the talk of the town once again.

Thousands of people are flocking to the island to enjoy the phenomenon and the last days of summer.

Officials observed that while water's hues of blue and green instead of the murky grays and browns right now are unusual for the island, they believe the visitor influx is not.

Social media is helping spread the word about the blue water faster, meaning more people are coming to visit.

Galveston Helicopters says the water is boosting sales.

"I think it helps tourism a lot. We did a lot of customers coming down, taking tours with us, just because they saw the blue water was on the news or something like that," said Ben, a pilot for the company. "It definitely draws a lot more people down to the beaches here."

From the air to the water, charter boats have also seen an uptick of business. Rides have also sold out.

"It's actually really rare to see blue water here. It almost makes it look like we're in Hawaii right now or something," said Ben. "The season that I've been flying this year, I've only seen it a couple of different times, so not very often."

Murdoch's Souvenir Shop typically sees more foot traffic each summer, but there's more of an increase this year.

"(We're) trying to sell as much as possible. If we're going to get more people because of the blue water, might as well," said Murdoch's employee Jesus Vega.

The Galveston Convention and Visitors Bureau says the island has truly become an attraction in southeast Texas, and the proof is in the numbers.

"We saw a real spike in visitation. Those numbers are worn out in park revenue and hotel occupancy. So, there's definitely a correlation between publicity about the blue water and visitation," said Mary Beth Bassett of the tourism board.

RELATED: IT'S BACK! Clear blue water sparkles along Galveston Island beaches

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