VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Virginia Beach businesses are gearing up for the anticipated large crowds coming to the Oceanfront for Memorial Day weekend.

Many events will be coming to the beach, including the Salute to Summer concert.

“We just came off of Something in the Water, so hotels are geared up and ready for the season,” said John Zirkle, president of the Virginia Beach Hotel Association.

He said Memorial Day is expected to bring tons of foot traffic to the resort city.

“A lot of hotels are already sold out,” Zirkle said, “but other hotels are very close and I’m talking less than 20 to 30 rooms to sell a lot of them.”

He said as time winds down to the holiday, it’s all about getting the final touches together, which includes making sure he has enough staff.

He said that’s an ongoing problem in the hotel and hospitality industry.

“Housekeepers, cooks, front desk agents, bellmen, shuttle drivers, you name it, hotels need every position,” Zirkle said.

But hotels aren’t the only ones preparing for the busy weekend.

Chief of Virginia Beach Life Saving Service Tom Gill told 10 On Your Side that he plans to have dozens of his lifeguards working the beaches.

“We plan on throwing all the lifeguards out there,” Gill said. “We’ll open up our outer beaches, Croatan Beach, and patrol the North End. … We’ll work about 75 guards.”

Gill said the most important message he had for people planning on coming to the Oceanfront for the holiday is to wear sunscreen.

Zirkle had a message of his own.

Anyone waiting until the last minute to book their hotel rooms should click that reserve button as soon as possible before all of the available rooms fill up.