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DESTINATIONS FLORIDA | THE US


the sun a


s I walk barefoot on the cool morning sand, not yet warmed by the Florida sunshine, circular


ripples on the Gulf of Mexico interrupt my conversation. A pod of bottlenose dolphins breaches the surface to feed, before swiftly disappearing. I’ve never seen dolphins in the wild before, and although it’s peak tourist season, there’s barely another soul on the beach to see them with me. In September 2022, Fort Myers – a city on Florida’s southwestern coastline – bore the brunt of category 5 Hurricane Ian. Homes were destroyed, hotels and restaurants suffered devastating flooding and attractions were gutted. Repair costs have been


travelweekly.co.uk


With new openings and increased airlift, Florida’s Fort Myers is bouncing back after Hurricane Ian, says Alice Barnes-Brown


estimated at $100 billion, and visitors to the once-thriving destination have been afraid to return – between 2022 and 2023, the number of visitors from the UK fell 43%. Yet Brian Hamman, the president of the


Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, says: “We’re seeing it as a blank slate – it’s driven more investment in the area. People are seeing it as an opportunity.”


ROAD TO RECOVERY Tourism looks set to bounce back bigger and better, with newly renovated and brand-new hotels, including the 254-room Margaritaville Fort Myers Beach, which opened in January and was buzzing when I visited. There’s ²


25 APRIL 2024 43


PICTURE: Jason Lindsey


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