Florida is well on its way to recovering from back-to-back hurricanes, and most major tourism areas are open. But officials say it might be a few weeks before some regions are ready to embrace visitors.
Major airports, including MCO, TPA and RSW, are fully open in the wake of Hurricane Milton and operating as normal. The same goes for St. Pete/Clearwater PIE and Sarasota/Bradenton SRQ.
Orlando was largely spared by Hurricane Milton. Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota and Fort Myers had some flooding, but tourism officials tell Open Jaw that most areas are open for tourism.
Visit Florida said in an email that Pinellas County (which includes St. Pete, Clearwater, Dunedin and other cities), Hillsborough County (including Tampa) and Lee Counties (Fort Myers, Sanibel and Capitva) are “largely open for business, meaning that even if some areas or businesses are still recovering, you can still get a great visitor experience in the destination overall.”
Sarasota and Charlotte Counties, which are south of Tampa/St. Pete and north of Fort Myers and include Sarasota, Siesta Key, Venice, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, are still in recovery mode are are expected to welcome visitors in one-to-four weeks, officials said. Manatee County (Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key) needs more time to recover from the storm and is expecting to welcome visitors in five-to-eight weeks.
“After a major hurricane, in this case two, it is often the perception that most of the state has been impacted,” officials told Open Jaw. “Therefore, Visit Florida’s job as the state’s official tourism marketing organization is to educate travellers on the destinations that are open and ready to welcome visitors to have the Florida experience they expect.”
Visit Florida said it took immediate action by launching social media campaigns 'Stronger than the Storm” messaging for in-state audiences and “Florida is Resilient” for domestic markets, signaling their commitment to recovery.
“For areas that were not impacted or minimally impacted, we launched a paid social media campaign on October 14, with “Sun is Shining in Florida” messaging that includes images and video captured immediately after Helene. In the coming weeks, we will roll out a larger crisis recovery initiative.”
"While Hurricanes Helene and Milton have impacted several areas of Florida, the state’s tourism industry remains strong,” said Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young. “Visitors can still enjoy the sunshine, beautiful beaches, and countless adventures that Florida is known for in many destinations across the state.
“We encourage travellers to explore these areas and to plan to return to recovering destinations once they are ready to welcome visitors again. As assessments continue and recovery efforts progress, we encourage visitors to stay informed by monitoring the news and checking directly with accommodations for updates or closures.”
Here’s a rundown of various areas of the state that are popular with visitors. Note that the east coast of the state, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, the Palm Beaches, Daytona Beach, Saint Augustine and Jacksonville, were largely unaffected. The same goes for Panama City Beach, Destin and Pensacola in the Florida Panhandle.
ST. PETE/CLEARWATER
Tourism officials in St. Pete/Clearwater say recovery and restoration efforts are already underway and that a large majority of their hotels and visitor experiences have reopened to guests.
“While some local businesses will require some extra time to recover, the destination will be ready to start welcoming visitors again in no time,” officials told Open Jaw in an email.
"St. Pete downtown businesses and attractions were largely unaffected by Hurricane Helene and for the most part, that is true after Hurricane Milton," Visit St. Pete/Clearwater states on its website. "Many businesses on Central Avenue, Fourth Street and other business corridors are open and ready to welcome you. The St. Pete Pier and our wonderful museums are open.
Currently, there are no universal restrictions on beach access in the area’s barrier island communities. However, cleanup is still ongoing, and some beaches, including Fort De Soto Park, Sand Key Park, Honeymoon Island State Park and Caladesi Island State Park, remain closed.
Many beaches have damage to boardwalks and other access points, and tourism officials recommend visitors stay off area beaches until they can be assessed for safety.
The Don Cesar hotel on St. Pete Beach is temporarily closed, but many other resorts are open. Many shops and restaurants in Clearwater Beach and Dunedin also are open.
“For visitors planning to come to St. Pete-Clearwater soon, we encourage you to check with your accommodations and local businesses for the most up-to-date information,” officials said.
TAMPA
“While the one-two punch of major storms was challenging, we want the world to know that the news media coverage did not reflect the reality of Tampa Bay,” said Visit Tampa Bay President & CEO, Santiago C. Corrada. “We received some minor impact to our hospitality industry but fortunately, our world-class eateries, thrilling attractions, and luxurious hotels are fully open and welcoming leisure travelers and convention-goers back to Tampa Bay.”
ORLANDO
Disney World and other theme parks reopened last week. MCO resumed full operations on 11OCT.
SARASOTA/ANNA MARIA ISLAND/SIESTA KEY (Sarasota and Charlotte Counties)
The roof at SRQ airport sustained damage during Hurricane Milton but the airport reopened on 16OCT.
All Sarasota County Beaches are closed until further notice, the county tourism website states.
Afar magazine said some “mom-and-pop inns and historic properties” in places such as Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island are closed. It also said the historic Rod and Reel Pier, an Anna Maria Island icon for almost 80 years, was damaged during Helene and washed away almost entirely during Milton.
FORT MYERS/CAPTIVA/SANIBEL
“The 1-2 punch coming on the heels of Helene was a challenge, but the recovery work began almost immediately and we currently doing our best to get as much of the destination up and running as soon as possible,” a spokesperson for Lee County tourism told Open Jaw. The Lee County website says roads in Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach have been cleared of sand, so traffic can maneuver the main roads on the island. Removal of sand over sidewalks and pathways will be ongoing for several days. Margaritaville Beach Resort is open on Fort Myers Beach. “Fort Myers Beach has weathered the storm with minimal damage, and our beautiful island is ready to welcome guests back,” the hotel states on its website.
PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD
“Hurricane Milton recently passed to the north of Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach area resulting in some local flooding, downed trees and power outages,” the local tourism board states on its website. “While the community is cleaning up and reopening, your patience is appreciated. We encourage you to reach out directly to each business to ascertain their open status.”
FLORIDA KEYS
“The Florida Keys & Key West are open to visitors, with tourism infrastructure fully intact throughout the 125-mile-long island chain after Hurricane Milton’s outer bands brushed the Keys last week,” officials said in a statement. “The Florida Keys Overseas Highway, including all 42 bridges, is open as usual. Key West and Florida Keys Marathon international airports are open and operational as is the Port of Key West, which is receiving cruise ships.”
