Update: Businesses See Gold in the City's No. 1 Dr. Beach Ranking

Update, 5:50 a.m. Saturday with links to additional coverage of Coronado's kudos, in USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and U-T San Diego. 

Being selected as is quite an honor, but what does it mean for local business?

Quite a lot it seems.

“They say it will bring 5 to 20 percent more people to Coronado. That has to be good for us,” said Marco Perez, general manager at . “There has to be some trickle down we can capitalize on.”

If the past is any clue there will be, according to Gabino Romero, manager of .

“I know that when we were in the top 10 it made a difference, so this should be every better,” he said.

As with other businesses contacted by Patch, Romero reported seeing a recent upswing in business, after a long stretch of battling the fallout from the bad economy.

“Each month it gets better and better,” he said. 

Shopkeepers at the also saw the ranking as more good news for a local economy still fighting its way out of the recession.

“I’m so thrilled about this, it will bring so many more people into our shop,”  said Gladys Dongo, who works at Babcock and Story, a bar at the Del. 

Dana Rauzon, a sales associate at Kate’s, a dress shop there, agreed.

“We get lots of tourists here. This will definitely help our business,” she said.

Even shops across town from the beach celebrated the news.

“I’m really excited about this. More people will come here and then see what a nice community this is,” said Tim Aaron, owner of . “Everybody will benefit.”

Al Merino, the manager at , agreed that a business doesn’t have to be next to the beach to reap the benefits of the Dr. Beach ranking.

“Lots of people like to come over here on the ferry and we’re right next to the Ferry Landing,” he said.  

This burst of optimism from the local business community is shared by tourism officials.

“We hope it will push people our way,” said Todd Little of the Coronado Tourism Improvement District. 

But such an honor doesn't come without an effort. Since February tourism officials have been working to educate Dr. Beach – Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University – about “what a truly beautiful beach we have here,” Little said. 

This was the second year the tourism district has reached out to the good doctor and the PR campaign, led by Robert Arends of the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, clearly paid off. Arends has been working with Little and the district for nearly two years. 

While Coronado has ranked in the top 10 in years past, being number one sets the community apart.

“For tourists on the fence, it will nudge them toward Coronado,” Little said. “It's a great honor and a wonderful kickoff for the Memorial Day weekend here.”