The Resilience of Florida's Storm-proof Tourism

Video: Hurricane Michael: a record storm

Michael tore the roofs of hotels, destroyed homes and businesses, destroyed roads, destroyed trees and power lines in a vast trail across the Panhandle in a northeasterly direction.

State tourism officials are mourning with residents and businesses for loss of life and property. But they believe the industry has the resources to bounce back stronger than ever before.

They promote parts of the state that are in good condition for visitors and offer state subsidies for the promotion of areas of climate or environmental crises.

In addition, different countries are ready to launch their own marketing efforts, injecting dollars into bed taxes for more marketing when all goes well – and in some cases for cleaning and repairing public spaces. The idea: to attract visitors soon, but not so soon, they find dead fish on the beach.

"At the right time, we can let the country and the world know that they can come back to these areas," said Ken Lawson, CEO of Visit Florida.

More: The water quality crisis reduces Lee County's tax revenue in July and August

Lawson, a fourth-generation Floridian and former Marine Corps captain, said he was "sad about what my brothers and sisters lived" and felt "responsible for sending the right message, in the right tone, to help my state. "

Tourism and hospitality welcomed 118.5 million visitors in 2017. A recent study by Oxford Economics Research indicates that visitors to Florida spent $ 112 billion a year and supported 1.4 million visitors. jobs.

Visit Florida has a permanent crisis team that "listens and contacts industry partners before and after a crisis," Lawson said.

The agency spends a million dollars a year on the response to the crisis. After Irma, Lawson has raised $ 4 million in additional savings from various departments of Visit Florida, to facilitate marketing after a hurricane has passed.

More: Lee County Tourism and Hotel Superheroes Take Customer Service Seriously

He thinks that visitors make good choices when they receive accurate information. And, they understand that misfortune can temporarily rule out their favorite vacation.

Take the UK, a key international market.

"The British are realizing that hurricanes are part of Florida's DNA, they are not forgetful, but they are aware and make wise decisions."

For the moment, it is important that international visitors and visitors from outside the country know that "hurricane or water quality problems do not affect all of Florida", has said Lawson.

TO CLOSE

RAW VIDEO: Hurricane Michael approaches Panama City, Florida
Andrew West, News Press

For example, Hurricane Michael left Pensacola, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties relatively intact: they are ready for tourists.

The Florida Keys experienced a similar situation after the passage of Hurricane Irma on September 10, 2017.

More: Shortages of workers, inspectors and supplies hamper repairs to the roof after the passage of Hurricane Irma

More: Irma's protection lessons: walk for tens of kilometers and not hundreds

Many businesses and homes have been heavily damaged or destroyed.

Even so, Key West and Key Largo – the main players in tourism – have suffered less storm damage than other islands in the chain, said Andy Newman, spokesman for tourism promotion in the Florida Keys and Key West of Monroe County.

"Our greatest strength has been to recover our utilities and basic infrastructure as quickly as we have done," said Newman.

A number of institutions, including Cheeca Lodge and Hawks Cay Resort, may have reopened earlier. Instead, they delayed implementing renovation programs that had nothing to do with Irma but would position them better for future work.

It's been a long recovery. Two or three major Islamorada stations have not yet reopened. Nevertheless, "we are close to 91 to 92% of our properties that are back in action," said Newman.

Newman, who has managed Keys' public relations for 38 years, remembers the "difficult climb" to restore visitor confidence following the devastating Hurricane Andrew on the American continent Homestead in 1992.

Although Andrew did not touch the Keys, an erroneous TV report from the network "left the perception that the Keys were completely swept away," said Newman, adding:

"I think the people of North Florida will face the same situation. You've had horrible devastations in Mexico Beach and Panama City – and yet Pensacola is probably in pretty good shape. "

Two toxic problems at the same time

In southern Florida, red tide and blue-green algae have ravaged tourism.

The red tide has lasted for a year, killing or weakening hundreds of sea turtles, manatees and dolphins – and even a whale shark washed up on the shore of Sanibel, known in the country for the wealth of its shells.

The blue-green algae are harmful to humans and the wildlife and killed and disgusted pets that have been exposed this year.

More: The exposed algae? Researchers take samples from people who have been exposed to toxic blooms

More: Hurricane Michael can affect the red tide and blue-green algae. Here's how.

The good news: the coughing red tide and toxic blue-green algae seem to be finally regressing.

Convention and visitor offices, hotels, and others use their websites and social media networks to inform potential visitors where the coastline is clear.

This is not an easy task because the red tide moves according to the winds and waves.

Toxic blue-green algae, propelled by freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee, have sown sadness in the western counties along the Caloosahatchee River and in the east. St. Lucia and Indian River rivers.

Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green toxic algae, can be seen in water at the Admiralty Yacht Club off Coon Road in North Fort Myers. (Photo: Amanda Inscore / The News-Press)

This is another spot on the reputation of a region that is taken up in the news accounts.

This increases the chances that tourists think the problem is more widespread than it is,

"It's a delicate balance," Charlotte Bireley, St. Lucia County's tourism director, said in July, referring to the Treasure Coast newspapers, echoing a common sentiment among those involved in tourism on the island. Treasure Coast.

"We need to educate states about our water quality problems. On the other hand, we do not want to give the impression that we are closed to the market, "said Bireley.

More: The dead manatees pose a big challenge to shorelines smothered by the red tide, while the wildlife agency tries to keep up with the pace

Martin County Tourism Officer Okiye said lessons learned in recent years that hurricanes, algae and red tide had been overcome, as well as Zika, the Pulse Disco Massacre massacre, and the "Tomb of the Sea". Other activities have helped various state tourism officials to collaborate more closely with Visit Florida. know when to return to marketing.

She said Visit Florida is doing a better job of tracking consumer intentions after Irma, the red tide and seaweed.

Okiye and Bireley of Saint Lucia County agreed that transparency is important so people can make informed decisions and not end up in situations where they may be disappointed. Potential visitors can obtain frequently updated information on the conditions of hotels and tourist offices and display beach cameras.

The County of St. Lucia "Fortunately, there was no beach closure or water quality problem," said Bireley. "We will continue to market our nautical activities as long as they remain safe and open."

One after the other on the Gulf Coast

Tourism in southwestern Florida did not fully recover from hurricane Irma when the red tide came in last October – and then intensified this summer when seaweed Blue-green began to form in Lake Okeechobee's freshwater discharges.

Collier County did not have blue-green algae, but had recurrent episodes of red tide. In Naples, Collier County Commissioners approved Tuesday a strategy to attract visitors once the red tide has dissipated.

More: Collier County Approves $ 250,000 Campaign to Attract Visitors After Red Tide

More: Answer to the Red Tide: Necklace prepares tourism marketing when the coastline is clear

That means millions of dollars in lost income.

In Lee and Collier counties alone, tourism is a $ 4.5 billion industry a year that supports one in five jobs.

Collier will use up to $ 250,000 of its emergency tourism advertising fund for a campaign that will have the theme "Back to Paradise" and will include ads on travel websites, with press briefings and on social networks.

The county will launch the campaign in stages based on whether or not there is a red tide, said Jack Wert, head of tourism at Collier, in an email.

"We are currently focusing our advertising on our land activities," said Wert.

TO CLOSE

Here is the difference between the red tide and the blue-green algae.
Wochit

Collier County has also applied for two Visit Florida grants to boost advertising to ensure visitors that the coast is unobstructed locally and regionally in a timely manner.

In August, the Lee County Tourism Development Council approved a $ 1 million investment in the visitor's tax reserves for a marketing campaign that will start as soon as the coastline is cleared.

Lee's tourism office also received a $ 77,500 Visit Florida grant, which he will use in the New York Times' social and digital media after the red tide.

More: Business surveys show that algal blooms have an economic impact

More: Lee Tourism Council approves algae tax budget

Asked at a tourism meeting Thursday at the launch of the emergency commercial, Pigott said a plan had been changed a few times: "But you can not buy the internship until you're not really ready. "

She added, "We need some assurance that (the red tide) is not relegated to the background in the middle of our campaign, telling us that things are going well again."

The number of visitors took a hit in August, when Collier and Lee had red tide problems.

Lee County does not estimate the number of visitors per month. However, he receives a 5% tax on short-term rental beds. This tax fell by 16.4% year-on-year in August, reflecting the worsening water quality crisis that month and lingering in the region all summer and summer. autumn.

Collier County welcomed 102,800 visitors to its hotels and other commercial accommodations in August, down 4.2% from last year, according to a report by Research Data Services Inc., a Tampa-based consultant.

Visitor spending reached $ 89 million, but decreased 1.5% from the same month of last year. The nights booked for the month of August decreased by 3.2% during the year, to 143,600.

September statistics for one county or another were not yet available.

Wert thinks tourism in southwestern Florida and throughout the state will rebound in the new year.

"Overall, we know that tourism in Florida is resilient," said Wert.

More: "I just want them to get him out," says the wife of a Florida man killed during Hurricane Michael

More: Hurricane Michael does not reach category 5 – barely 2 mph

Rusty and Pam Burrows, who have a home near Mexico Beach in the interior that has withstood Hurricane Michael, have echoed this optimism.

Reports of such destruction in the media and social networks will not hinder tourists in the long run, said the couple.

"Nothing will stop them," said Rusty Burrows.

And that's good with this Floridienne.

"We want them to come down," said Rusty Burrows. "We welcome them."

USA TODAY & # 39; HUI Florida Network reporters Michael Braun, Laura Layden and Paul Ivice contributed to this report.

Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/10/14/hurricane-michael-florida-tourism-industry-resiliency-tested-storm-water-quality- crises / 1641049002 /