Rebound for Florida tourism industry may take 6 months or more as travel anxiety plagues visitors

Even as the state considers easing COVID-19 restrictions, it may be a while until Florida's battered tourism industry returns to normal.

HARD TIMES.EVEN AS THE STATE CONSIDERSEASING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS,IT MAY BE AWHILE BEFOREFLORIDAINDUSTRY RETURNS TO NORMAL.TONIGHT, TOURISM EXPERTS TELLCAPITOL REPORTER FORRESTSAUNDERS THE INDUSTRYREBOUND WON<<MID-MARCH VIRUS PROTECTIONSSHUTDOWN BEACHES, BARS ANDVACATION HOTSPOTS LIKE DISNEY &EFFECTIVELY CLOSING THE WHOLEOF FLORIDAINDUSTRY, TOURISM.

VISITORS,FOR NOW, STAYING HOME.

BIGBUSINESSES AND LITTLE ONESMISSING OUT ON ABOUT 90BILLION IN ANNUAL VISITORSPENDING.

(JACK RUDLOE, GULFSPECIMEN MARINE LAB)“THEBILLS PILE UP AND THE INCOMEGOING TO ZILCH” (JACK 1:58)JACK RUDLOE WITH GULF SPECIMENAQUARIUM IN NORTH FLORIDA LOST80% OF HIS INCOME.

HELAYOFF EMPLOYEES, EVENCONSOLIDATE ANIMALS TO STAY INBUSINESS.

NAT FACEBOOK LIVERUDLOEMEDIA TOURS TO KEEP VISITORSINTERESTED UNTIL THEY CANRETURN.

IT MAY BE A WHILE.“PEOPLE AND THE CONSUMERS ARESTILL SOMEWHAT ANXIOUS ABOUTTRAVEL IN THE US” (LORI 1:34)SINCE JANUARY, PROFESSOR LORIPENNINGTON-GRAY HAS BEENSTUDYING COVID-19 TRAVELANXIETY.

SHE LEADS THE TOURISMCRISIS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVEAT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

HERFINDINGS-- VACATIONERSSURVEYED WILL BE SLOW TORETURN FEARING A VIRUSRESURGENCE.

(PROF. LORIPENNINGTON-GRAY, TOURISMCRISIS MANAGEMENT INITIATIVEDIRECTOR)“THE MAJORITY OFRESPONDENTS HAVE SAID SIXMONTHS AFTER THE RESTRICTIONSHAVE BEEN RELEASED& A FEWPEOPLE THAT TRICKLE IN BEFORETHAT, BUT THE MAJORITY ARESAYING ABOUT SIX MONTHS”(LORI 9:48) "MY BEST GUESS,ITFEW YEARS FOR THINGS TO SETTLEBACK DOWN” (DEEL 2:47) DR.GARY DEEL IS A HOSPITALITYEXPERT WITH UNIVERSITY OFCENTRAL FLORIDA.

HE BELIEVESTHE INDUSTRY IS GOING TO HAVETO WIN BACK CONSUMER TRUST.VIRUS PROTECTIONS MAY BE THENEW NORMAL.

(DR. GARY DEEL,UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA)“CHECKING TEMPERATURES AT THEENTRANCES TO HOSPITALITYPLACES OF BUSINESS.

MORE HANDSANITIZERS.

DOUBLING HOUSEKEEPING ROUTINES” (DEEL 8:00)“I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT FORSURE AS BUSINESSES TRY TOCONVINCE THE CONSUMER PUBLICTHAT THEY8:21) AT THE AQUARIUMIS ALREADY PLANNING SOCIALDISTANCING MEASURES FORGUESTS.

SMALLER TOUR GROUPSAND BETTER SPACING.

GETTINGVISITORS BACK, HE SAYS, WILLDETERMINE WHETHER HIS BUSINESSSINKS OR SWIMS.“WETO HAVE TO HOLD ON JUST AS WEHAVE FOR THE LAST 57 YEARS ANDLOOK FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OFTHIS ORGANIZATION FOR THEFUTURE” (JACK 4:01)