Florida tourism has taken a hard hit after the latest hurricane. Hurricane Irma brought popular destinations in various Florida cities to a temporary close. CNBC has the full story on the recent changes in Florida destinations.
Florida Tourism is Shaken by Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma’s path of destruction up Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sunday threatens to disrupt a thriving state tourism industry worth more than $100 billion annually just months ahead of the busy winter travel season.
Some of the state’s biggest attractions have announced temporary closures, including amusement park giants Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Legoland, and Sea World, which all planned to close through Monday.
Florida’s top destinations are usually never closed. In fact, it’s only been done a handful of times. However, Hurricane Irma proves to be a difficult challenge. Irma’s path of destruction has wreaked so much havoc over the past few days. It’s even put a pause in the state’s tourism.
What Does This Mean for Florida?
Early estimates suggest Irma’s toll on tourism and agriculture industries in Florida will be major…. https://t.co/nCvm3uH1bC
— TampaBayCigars.com (@TampaBayCigars) September 18, 2017
Florida is one of the states that thrives on tourism. 2016 brought 113 million people from different states and countries. That was a new record that Florida was extremely proud of. They even hoped to surpass it this year.
Tourism helps drive Florida’s economy because of the money brought into the state. Last year, tourists spent a total of $109 billion on their expenses while in Florida. These are the same tourists who frequent the state’s best destinations with their families. They visit popular places such as Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Sea World, Universal Studios, and Legoland just to name a few. They also never leave without soaking up some sun on Florida’s sandy beaches.
Unfortunately, these tourist destinations had no choice. They had to close their gates and operations temporarily because of Irma. Everyone was afraid of Hurricane Irma’s destruction. It wasn’t long until the once well-loved sunny state of Florida became a cause for caution and panic.
The news hit both tourists and locals alike. In fact, some Florida locals chose to fly out of their beloved state. They wanted to seek shelter elsewhere. Others sought refuge in hotels far from the hurricane’s path.
Florida’s Current State
The Bucs, Jaguars & Dolphins will be wearing “ONE FLORIDA” decals to signify the state’s resiliency following Hurricane Irma. (via @Jaguars) pic.twitter.com/dyjfzhuHji
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 17, 2017
At present, the state of Florida is still recovering from Hurricane Irma’s damages. A number of roads, cars, and houses are in the process of repair and restoration.
However, the road to total recovery may take longer than expected. The state of Florida is preparing for yet another hurricane’s arrival. Florida Senator, Marco Rubio, already warned his fellow citizens about Hurricane Maria. The upcoming hurricane is said to follow the same path as that of Irma’s. Maria also recently upgraded to a category one type hurricane. Given this, Rubio advises Florida locals to once again prepare for the worst.
Want to know more about how Hurricane Irma affected Florida tourism? Press play on the video below:
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