Photo courtesy of Visit St. Pete Beach
Helene and Milton were unwelcome guests in the Southeast and when their stay was over, destinations were glad to see them go. In their wake, rebuilding has been going on, and so have the campaigns designed to bring back travel. Here are a few of those from some cities who are ready to welcome visitors and let them know the doors are open.
VISIT FLORIDA showed it wasn’t just ready to kiss hurricane season goodbye, it was blowing it out to sea with a full-scale campaign.
“Floridians are resilient and our incredible tourism industry is testament to this strength. VISIT FLORIDA is here to show the world that Florida is ready to welcome travelers,” said Dana Young, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “We are highlighting our iconic destinations, promoting hidden gems and making it clear that Florida is still the top choice for travelers.”
The first phase, already live with an $800,000 paid social media campaign, focuses on footage from more than 10 locations around the state, such as Amelia Island, Panama City Beach, Islamorada and Pensacola under the campaign theme “The Sun is Shining in Florida,” reassuring travelers that much of the state was not impacted by the storms, and is open and ready for visitors.
Phase two, a $3 million marketing campaign launching soon, will include fully recovered destinations that were impacted, like Tampa, Naples and Ft. Myers. Phase three will offer direct marketing assistance to the counties most affected by the storms, including Pinellas, Sarasota and Manatee, with additional support for the rural counties of Taylor, Dixie, and Levy. (These campaigns will launch when the destinations are recovered and ready to welcome visitors again.)
“I’d say we’re about 80 percent open,” said Jason Latimer Director of Communication with Visit St. Pete Beach. “Two big events on the calendar are the King of the Beach Fishing Tournament and the Annika LPGA event, taking place in Belleair. And then right around the corner in February we have probably our biggest sporting event, the Shriner’s Children’s Clearwater Invitational Softball Tournament. We’re working to get the word out.”
But it’s not just Florida destinations that are showing their campaigning chops. Jackson County, North Carolina has been promoting to the outdoors market, including hikers, cyclists and others. Their campaign, Visit Thoughtfully, encourages visitors to plan ahead and chart a course that includes the highlights – and avoids the areas that may still be getting back to business. In particular, active closures are listed at DriveNC.gov – although the campaign notes, primary roads remain unaffected.
According to the site, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open, as are two areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway:
- Mileposts 423.2 (Beech Gap – NC 215) to 469 (Oconaluftee – US 441 near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee). This section includes the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center and Park Store (Milepost 451.2), which will remain open until November 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Mileposts 411.8 (near US 276) to 421 (Art Loeb Trail, including Graveyard Fields).
The campaign notes, “The entire NC stretch of the Parkway was closed after Helene. Previously, the US Forest Service reopened Mileposts 285.5 to 305 (near Blowing Rock). The National Park Service asks that visitors stay out of the Devil’s Courthouse area and all other closed sections, even on foot, for their own safety. Any public use behind closed gates, including hiking and biking, puts workers and visitors at risk.”
Additionally, the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (JCTDA) has redirected $56,411 in advertising revenue, collected from ad sales in the Jackson County Visitor Guide since 2018, to support those in the region recovering from the storm’s devastation. These funds have been accumulating and remained unspent, allowing the JCTDA to make this donation.
Visit North Carolina has travel advisories for affected areas throughout the state. The site notes, “Recovery from Hurricane Helene is ongoing in the mountain and foothill regions of North Carolina. Most highways in Western North Carolina are open with many destinations ready and welcoming visitors for fall travel. However, some roads remain closed or have restrictions.”
Explore Asheville, which represents one of the destinations hit hardest by the hurricanes, has launched the Love Asheville From Afar campaign to help support businesses in the area.
In some cases, visitors are being asked to exercise patience before hitting the road. Some destinations have set up special landing pages encouraging travelers to visit, but to be aware of changing conditions. Among those are Ashe County, which recommends staying on highways and visiting only downtowns.
VisitNCSmallTowns notes, “In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Rutherford County, including our cherished Chimney Rock and Lake Lure communities, has experienced significant challenges. The storm brought widespread damage, affecting homes, businesses and our natural landscapes. Due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas are unable to welcome visitors at this time. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our residents and guests, and we encourage everyone looking to travel to these areas to postpone travel plans while our communities work toward restoration.”
Some sports events scheduled for destination in the Southeast have been moved ahead of the storm, and some continue to avoid areas in order to allow recovery efforts to continue. Some events were rescheduled for later dates.
The final Bassmaster Open of 2024, originally scheduled for South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, moved to Lake Martin, Alabama. Additionally, the American Bass Anglers (ABA) and Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC) announced the postponement of the 2024 American Fishing Tour Championship, originally scheduled for October 6-11. The tournament will now take place on May 5-9, 2025, on Lake Murray.
In golf, the 2024 World Champions Cup, featuring players from the PGA TOUR Champions playing in Bradenton, has been postponed to December 2025. Meanwhile, workers are repairing Georgia’s Augusta National, which also sustained serious damage.
"As far as the golf course, it really was affected just as the rest of the community was," said Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley. "There was a lot of damage. We have a lot of people working hard to get us back up and running. We don't really know exactly what that's going to mean but I can tell if you it's humanly possible, we'll be back in business sooner rather than later."
About the Author
