Winter reservations up on Hilton Head Island

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Last year’s long, cold winter up North seems to be attracting more snowbirds and helping long-term winter reservations on Hilton Head Island.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reports (http://bit.ly/uoGzCw) reservations for the upcoming season are up sharply over previous years.

Mark Westbrook with Hilton Head Rentals says his long-term rentals are up 20 percent over two years ago.

At Hilton Head Rentals & Golf, reservations for the first three months of 2012 are up 43 percent over last winter. There’s been a 100 percent increase in the number of reservations for homes and villas running two months or longer.

Rental agents say that last year’s tough winter in the North seems to be convincing more people to come south and to stay longer.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com