Although a spirit of cautious optimism has run through the tanning community this year, three-quarters of tanning facility owners say the economy has been the biggest influence on their business this season, according to a SmartTan.com poll conducted in March.

The poll showed that 77 percent feel the economy has been the strongest influence so far this season, while 23 percent feel other factors have been more important.

“We know that optimism prevailed in January and February, and that many stores were reporting strong numbers,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “But we also know that people are concerned about the economy and the uncertainty of how it might impact the tanning business. So there are some mixed signals in the air.”

Beauty industries in the past have been buffered from economic slowdowns or downturns because many people do not cut back on small-ticket personal products and services when the economy cools. In the case of indoor tanning, some will turn to tanning as an alternative to more-expensive get-aways.

“There are successful business models for this kind of economy,” Levy continued. “The fact that today’s tanning market has more business-savvy leaders on the retail side is a great indication that the market will continue to move forward.”