The Caribbean tourism industry has shown extraordinary resilience in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, with data revealing a rapid rebound in travel bookings. Despite the initial impact of the storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Grenadines on July 1, the region has experienced a remarkable turnaround, driven particularly by visits from the U.S., the region’s largest market. Comprehensive air travel data from ForwardKeys, analyzed in collaboration with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), reveals a short-term decline in Caribbean bookings immediately following the storm, followed by a solid recovery. Analysis of air tickets issued Read more
hurricanes
I visited Cedar Key several years ago and fell in love with the low-key atmosphere and the friendly locals. It was tough to see how Hurricane Idalia damaged the town so badly in August of last year. Things seemed to be back to some kind of normal, but then the town was hit by a massive fire that destroyed a couple of its charming waterfront buildings, which sit on stilts that rest in the waters of Gulf of Mexico. Published reports say the fire on Dock Street destroyed the Rusty Hook Bait Shop and Duncan’s on the Gulf Restaurant. That’s Read more
Hurricane Idalia is sending massive storm surges cascading into parts of Florida, and also wreaking havoc for travellers and airlines. Reuters reports that airlines in the United States canceled more than 850 flights today (Aug. 30) as the storm landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm. Southwest Airlines had canceled 222 flights as of noon Eastern Time, while Delta Air Lines and American Airlines canceled 158 and 132 flights, respectively, as of 8:17 a.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The website reported 65% of incoming flights to Tampa International Airport had been cancelled, Read more
Southwest Florida was devastated by Hurricane Ian, but local hotels and other tourism businesses are lending a helping hand. Throughout the state’s response to Hurricane Ian, VISIT FLORIDA has worked closely with authorities and travel brands, such as Expedia, AirBnb and hoteliers throughout the state, to connect displaced Floridians with resources for finding suitable short- and long-term accommodations. Earlier this week, VISIT FLORIDA learned of 23 families, who evacuated from their homes in Lee County while their newborns were in NICU care, were urgently in need of temporary housing in Broward County as their infants were being transferred to nearby Read more
Southwest Florida was slammed recently by Hurricane Ian. Here’s a statement put out today by local authorities. “The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches & Neighborhoods) is working closely with state, federal and local officials to assess the catastrophic effects of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on September 28 as a Category 4 near Cayo Costa, an island just off the coast of Fort Myers. Search and rescue efforts continue throughout the region. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers has reopened for limited operations. Visitors are asked to put travel plans to the Read more
