Florida Recovering After Wilma

October 26, 2005

Florida Recovering After Wilma
October 26, 2005 – Much of Florida’s tourism industry is offering positive reports Wednesday following the wrath of Hurricane Wilma earlier this week.

A statement received at NTA Headquarters from the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau stated that the Greater Miami and the Beaches’ visitor industry is prepared to welcome visitors as soon as power is restored to area hotels, attractions and restaurants still without power. Eighty percent of hotels have power and are now open in Miami Beach.

The Miami International Airport reopened Tuesday afternoon, as well as the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport opened for general aviation only on Tuesday morning, but the Palm Beach International Airport remained closed as of Tuesday evening.

The Port of Miami is expected to re-open today.

The CVB recommends that visitors arriving this week contact their hotels for updates and any availability changes. Visit http://www.miamiandbeaches.com/.

According to the Miami Herald, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority reports that all tolls are suspended, including on Dolphin, Don Shula, Gratigny, Airport and Snapper Creek expressways. The causeways into Miami Beach will be restricted during curfew hours (8 p.m.-6 a.m.). This includes the Venetian, Julia Tuttle, 79th Street and MacArthur Causeways. Be prepared to show identification. Amtrak service in Miami-Dade, Monroe and Broward stations will be closed Wednesday. Auto Train will resume daily north- and southbound service between Lorton, Va., and Sanford. New York-Miami Silver Star and Silver Meteor will run northbound and southbound trains out of Orlando Wednesday and Thursday. For information, call 800-USA-RAIL.

For more information on Hurricane Wilma’s impact on Florida tourism, visit http://www.visitflorida.org/.