The indoor tanning community was split evenly this summer between those who saw business increase and those who saw declines, according to a SmartTan.com poll conducted in September.

According to the poll, 44 percent of tanning businesses were busier this summer compared to last year, with 45 percent reporting they were slower this summer. The remaining 11 percent reported no change from 2007.

“Essentially, half of the market is reporting that the summer was as busy or busier than last year,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “Those results come on top of previous polls this year that indicate more-or-less the same results for the entire season.”

The consensus from earlier polls and from other sources in the market suggests that, for the first three-quarters of 2008, about one-third of tanning businesses are busier in 2008 compared to 2007, one-third are unchanged from 2007 and one-third are down from last year.

“Compared to many other industries, that’s pretty solid,” Levy said. “It shows that, in the face of a more-challenging economy, there are still successful business models in indoor tanning today.”