Shortly after high noon, the Porters arrived in Central Texas. Two vehicles - with eight men, women and children aboard - pulled under the portico at the Best Western Temple Inn & Suites.

“This ain’t our first rodeo,” Porter said, dressed in cap, shorts and a fishing shirt. “Gustav was two weeks ago. Rita (in 2005) was really bad.”

Families like the Porters had local hotel staff jumping Thursday afternoon. As the hurricane shifted course, some relieved Gulf Coast residents canceled reservations. Others had to scramble to find a place to ride out the storm.

“We were booked up yesterday. Then a bunch of people canceled. Now they’re calling from other areas,” said Rakesh Patel, manager at Red Roof Inn on Interstate 35 in North Temple. “People are changing as the storm moves. We’re trying to do the best we can.”

Manoj Bhakta, general manager at the Temple Best Western, said people such as the Porters are getting used to packing and leaving their homes on short notice.

“Gustav, two weeks ago, we were busy. A lot of people came in from the same area” as they are today. “They were panicked. This time . . . they are prepared. They’re learning from the last experience.”

During times like these, local hotel managers said they work with each other by sharing information regarding vacancies. They say part of that cooperative spirit comes from Nancy Glover, Temple’s tourism director.

Ms. Glover keeps in close contact with the local hotels to keep track of vacancies. She then updates the Temple situation on a Web site maintained by the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau Emergency Information System.

Out of 1,500 available rooms, Temple had 133 vacancies late Thursday afternoon. For the weekend, rooms will likely be harder to find. Most hotels are booked solid.

Ms. Glover said Temple hotels are unlike other areas where hotels have been accused of price gouging evacuees.

“We don’t have those types hotel owners in Temple,” Ms. Glover said. “Our hospitality industry is wonderful. They have big hearts. When people are evacuated from their homes it gets to be stressful. If we can take some stress out of it, then it’s worth it.”

Hurricane Ike has affected the local economy in another way. The Sami Show - an arts and crafts fair scheduled this weekend at the Bell County Expo Center - is canceled.