New poll shows Florida is top summer travel destination for many Americans
Updated: 8:03 PM EDT May 31, 2021
THE UNOFFICIAL START TO SUMMER, AND TODAY IT MORE THAN LIVED UP TO ITS NAME. JIM: WALT DISNEY WORLD WAS AT CAPACITY THIS MORNING, AND THE ROUTES TO OTHER ATTRACTIONS MADE FOR LONG LINES OF TRAFFIC. WESH 2’S GREG FOX REPORTS THERE’S A STRONG REBOUND IN AIR TRAVEL, WHICH SHOULD FUEL A SUMMER TRAVEL BLITZ. GREG: A YEAR AGO, THE ROUGHLY 12,000 PASSENGERS THAT BOARDED FLIGHTS AT OIA ON MEMORIAL D WOULD NOT EVEN BE ENOUGH TO FILL THE SEATS AT AMWAY CENTER. THIS YEAR, NEARLY 65,000, A SIGNAL THAT TOURISM’S REBOUND IS AHEAD OF SCHEDUL >> THIS YEAR, 77% OF AMERICANS SAY THEY PLAN TO TRAVEL THIS SUMMER, WHICH IS GREAT, BECAUSE LAST YEAR IT WAS 29%. GREG: YOU CAN STILL SEE THE FACE MASK SIGNS AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AND OTHER AIRPORTS AND FRANKLY A LOT OF THE TRAVELERS WE TALKED WITH SAY THEY STILL DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF WEARING A MASK, BUT THEY ARE HAPPY TO FINALLY GET ON A PLANE AND TAKE A VACATION. YOLANDA MCDANIEL AND HER FAMILY ARE ON A GIRL TRIP. >> GETTING ON A PLANE, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT GLAD THAT WE ARE FINALLY BACK AND GETTING IT BACK ON TRACK. GREG: GIRL TRIP. >> GIRL TRIP. GREG: ABOUT THE ONLY THING DAMPENING TRAVEL SPIRITS, THE SHORTAGE OF RENTAL CARS DRIVING UP THE PRICES. HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING YOU FOR A WEEK? >> $500. GREG: BUT STEEP PRICES AREN’T DRIVING CUSTOMERS AWAY. JUST LOOK AT THIS LINE TO RETURN RENTALS TO THE AIRPORT LOT. WHAT MAY DRIVE THEM NUTS ARE THE LINES TO GET BACK INTO PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS. THE BEACHLINE EXPRESSWAY EXIT TO SEAWORLD WAS BACKED UP BY HALF A MILE, AND THE ROADS IN FRONT OF AQUATICA WATER PARK LOOKED LIKE A GIANT PARKING LOT. >> IT’S NOT IDEAL, BUT IT’S WORTH THE WAIT. GREG: UP AND DOWN INTERNATIONAL DRIVE, CROWDS WERE CRAZY. AT TOPGOLF, EVERY BAY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WAS FULL. PIRATES COVE DREW MAX CROWDS TO MINIATURE GOLF, INCLUDING CARA BORUCH AND HER CREW FROM FT. LAUDERDALE. SHE’S ALREADY PLANNING ANOTHER TRIP. >> WE’RE VACCINATED AND OBVIOUSLY THINGS ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, HOPEFULLY WE’LL BE GETTING ON AN AIRPLANE SOMETIME SOON. GREG: WONDERWORKS, WHICH IS ALREADY UPSIDE DOWN, WAS TURNED INSIDE OUT, WITH FOLKS LINED UP AROUND THE BLOCK. >> IT’S VERY EXCITING, BECAUSE A YEAR AGO WE DIDN’T THINK THAT THINGS WOULD BE BACK TO NORMAL THIS SOON. GREG: MAYBE, BUT FOR AN INDUS
New poll shows Florida is top summer travel destination for many Americans
Updated: 8:03 PM EDT May 31, 2021
Summer tourism is looking up, and evidence of that was found just about everywhere on Memorial Day.Orlando International Airport had nearly 65,000 departures, which is just 5,000 shy of the record in 2019.The U.S. Travel Association reports that a new poll shows 77% of Americans plan on taking a trip this summer, and Florida is the top destination. Up and down International Drive, all of the attractions were slammed with business on Memorial Day, having lines out the doors, clogging the exit ramps and making it tough to get around the popular tourist corridor.RELATED: Carnival Cruise Line agreement with Port Canaveral gets CDC approval, test cruises could begin by end of June
Summer tourism is looking up, and evidence of that was found just about everywhere on Memorial Day.
Orlando International Airport had nearly 65,000 departures, which is just 5,000 shy of the record in 2019.
The U.S. Travel Association reports that a new poll shows 77% of Americans plan on taking a trip this summer, and Florida is the top destination.
Up and down International Drive, all of the attractions were slammed with business on Memorial Day, having lines out the doors, clogging the exit ramps and making it tough to get around the popular tourist corridor.
RELATED: Carnival Cruise Line agreement with Port Canaveral gets CDC approval, test cruises could begin by end of June
