Downtown Austin retailers are confident business is going in the right direction.

A recent Vision 2020 Destination Downtown Committee showed more businesses in downtown Austin think the area’s economic outlook is better than it has been in recent years, and are looking forward to next year’s economic development.

Vision 2020 surveyed 25 downtown businesses earlier this fall. Of those participants, 52 percent rate business as better than five years ago, 39 percent rate business this year better than last, 70 percent rate the business outlook for 2014 as better than this year, and no participant thought next year would be worse than 2013. In addition, 68 percent plan to stay in business downtown on a long-term basis.

Merchants reported that the top concerns are generating traffic, adding more retail to downtown, staying competitive and encouraging local shopping, according to a Vision 2020 press release.

Vision 2020’s report is available at its office or online at www.vision2020austin.com.