THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, AT LEAST ONE AMERICAN HAS CONTRACTED THE DEADLY HANTAVIRUS ABOARD A CRUISE SHIP UNDER QUARANTINE IN EUROPE.

A LOOK AT THE RARE DISEASE AND IF IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT IN OF YOUR FUTURE TRAVEL PLANS.

FOR BETTER VISION.

WE TALK WITH EXPERTS ON THE EYE DISEASES IMPACTING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND THINGS YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR SIGHT PRISTINE.

AND THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT OF FLORIDA'S TOURISM BOOM.

HOW SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS FEELING THE BOOST FROM ANOTHER SOLID START OF TRAVELERS COMING TO THE SUNSHINE STATE.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

TRAVELERS HAVE BEEN PUT ON HIGH ALERT AFTER 3 PEOPLE HAVE DIED FOLLOWING AN OUTBREAK OF HANTAVIRUS ABOARD A CRUISE SHIP.

THE SHIPPING QUESTION WAS PLACED UNDER QUARANTINE IN THE CANARY ISLANDS.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS 6 MORE PASSENGERS, INCLUDING AN AMERICAN, HAVE EITHER A CONFIRMED OR SUSPECTED CASES OF THE VIRUS.

THIS IS THE FIRST CONFIRMED OUTBREAK OF THE HANTA VIRUS ON A CRUISE SHIP.

DESPITE THE CONCERNS OFFICIALS FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAY THIS SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE AN ISOLATED CASE AND THAT RISK TO THE BROADER PUBLIC IS LOW.

>> FOR MORE ON THE HUNT, A VIRUS OUTBREAK, WE ARE JOINED BY DOCTOR NICOLE.

BEING CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S HEALTH SHANDS HOSPITAL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JENNIFER.

>> WE ARE HEARING THAT HANTA VIRUS IS SPREAD FROM RODENT DROPPINGS AND RARELY EVER SPREAD FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN.

BUT THAT CERTAINLY IS NOT THE CASE WITH THIS PARTICULAR STRAIN.

CAN'T.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT HOW THIS TRAIN ORIGINATED AND MADE ITS WAY ON BOARD THE SHIP AND INFECTED MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

>> DOOR.

SO THIS SPRING IS CALLED THE ANDES VIRUS.

AND SO YOU'RE CORRECT THAT THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OF THE OTHER HAND, THE VIRUSES IN THAT IT HAS SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

THIS PARTICULAR STRAIN IS FOUND MAINLY IN SOUTH AMERICA AND THE CRUISE SHIP DID MAKE A STOP IN ARGENTINA.

SO THAT IS LIKELY WHERE THE FIRST PATIENTS ACQUIRED THE INFECTION WHILE THEY WERE WENT OFF.

SURE INTO OUR DUTY.

>> WHAT DOES THE MORTALITY RATE OF THIS STRAIN AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY IT IS SO DEADLY?

>> I DID BUY ARE SAYS IN GENERAL HAVE A HIGH MORTALITY RATE EVEN WITH THE MOST ADVANCED MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS CAN BE AS HIGH AS 38 TO 40%.

AND THAT INCLUDES IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

IT IS A VIRUS THAT ATTACKS THE BLOOD VESSELS THAT ARE THE INSIDE THE LONG CAUSES TONS THE FLUID TO ENTER INTO THE LUNGS PERSON CAN'T BREATHE AND WE CAN'T GET OXYGEN THROUGH THEIR LUNGS TO KEEP THEM PROPERLY OXYGENATE.

AND THAT'S WHAT LISA HIGH MORTALITY RATE.

>> CAN YOU ADDRESS THE RISK THAT THIS STRAIN POSES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC?

AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD DO TO REDUCE THAT RISK OF CONTRACTING THIS PARTICULAR VIRUS?

>> THE REST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS CLOSE TO 0.

>> AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT.

IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THAT EASY TO TRANSMIT THE ANDES VIRUS.

YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE CLOSE CONTACT WITH A PERSON WHO IS ACTIVELY INFECTED AND IT'S SHOWING SYMPTOMS.

AND NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY'RE OUR CONTAINMENT MEASURES IN PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO GREATLY REDUCE THE CHANCE OF IT SPREADING ANY FURTHER.

THEY MIGHT BE A FEW ADDITIONAL OR SECONDARY CASES, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO TURNING TO ANYTHING LIKE THE COVID PANDEMIC.

HOW?

>> AND THAT LEADS ME TO WHAT IS ON MANY PEOPLE'S MINDS THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS HANTA VIRUS STRAIN COULD MUTATE MAYBE TURN INTO A VIRUS THAT COULD BECOME WIDESPREAD, FEARING ANOTHER PANDEMIC TYPE ENVIRONMENT.

IS THIS A FAIR CONCERN?

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

>> SO UNLIKE COVID, WHICH WAS A COMPLETELY NEW VIRUS.

AND WE JUST LEARNED AS WE WENT ALONG, HOW CAN YOU TAKE?

WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT HONDA VIRUSES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND THE HONDA VIRUSES ARE NOT KNOWN TO HAVE RAPID UK SHUN CYCLES LIKE COVID OR EVEN FLEW CAN'T HAVE IT MUCH MORE OF A STABLE VIRUS.

SO IT IS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.

THERE'S NO REASON TO SAY THAT IS GOING TO ACQUIRE AND IN AN STABILITY GET TRANSMITTED PERSON TO PERSON.

>> CAN YOU GIVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON HOW YOU THINK THESE CONTAINMENT MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE CURRENTLY?

I KNOW THERE WERE AMERICANS WERE BROUGHT TO NEBRASKA.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE CONTAINMENT MEASURES AND HOW EFFECTIVE DO YOU THINK THOSE ARE?

>> I EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THESE PASSENGERS WILL UNDERGO LEAST TWICE DAILY MEDICAL EVALUATIONS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY SIGN OF AN INFECTION, STARTING AND THEY WILL BE KEPT IN ISOLATION.

SO THEY'LL BE SEPARATED FOR ONE ANOTHER AND HOSPITAL PERSONNEL WILL WEAR FUR FULL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OR PPE SO THAT GET INFECTED.

SO ALL THOSE MEASURES ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE.

WE KNOW THAT FROM FROM COVID THAT WHAT YOU HAVE MEASURES LIKE THAT IN PLACE, THE VIRUS DOESN'T GET A CHANCE TO SPREAD.

>> NOW AS SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON HERE, MANY FAMILIES HAVE BOOKED THEIR CRUISES AND VACATIONS ABROAD.

THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS VIRUS.

IF YOU HAVE BOOKED A CRUISE OR TRAVEL ABROAD UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES TODAY, WOULD YOU CONTINUE WITH THOSE PLANS?

AND IF SO, WOULD YOU ADVISE ANY EXTRA PRECAUTIONS?

>> THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH OUR VACATION PLANS.

THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY RARE EVENT OF OF RARE VIRUS.

SO THE CHANCE TO BASK GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN IS REALLY EXTREMELY LOW.

THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE TEND TO CONTRACT WHEN THEY TRAVEL ON A CRUISE.

FOR EXAMPLE, ARE THINGS LIKE NOROVIRUS WHICH IS A VERY UNPLEASANT DISEASE OF NAUSEA AND VOMITING AND JURY, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF YEAR IT IS.

INFLUENZA IS SOMETHING THAT SPREADS ALSO SO OTHER MORE COMMON RESPIRATORY VIRUS AS A MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SPREAD.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THEIR HOLIDAY.

HOW PLANTS?

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE AND JOINING US TODAY.

DRI THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> COMING UP NEXT, THE TOURISM BOOM HIT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

WE LOOK AT HOW THE SURGE OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS HAS IMPACTED.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY.

>> I HEALTH EXPERTS SAYING MORE THAN 37 MILLION ADULTS SUFFER WITH COMMON EYE DISEASES LIKE CATARACTS, GLAUCOMA, AND AGE RELATED, MACULAR DEGENERATION, AS PART OF HEALTHY VISION MONTH.

WE ARE JOINED NOW BY THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PREVENT BLINDNESS, MR.

JEFF TODD AND DOCTOR RV PAUL CHAN, DR CHAN IS THE HEAD OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY FROM CHICAGO.

>> TODAY, THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> CAN YOU FIRST ADDRESS HOW COMMON ARE EYE DISEASES THAT ACTUALLY LEAD TO VISION LOSS AND IN SOME CASES, EVEN BLINDNESS AND WHAT AGE GROUPS ARE MOST IMPACTED.

>> YES, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS THAT I WOULD SAY CAN GRADUALLY EFFECT OR A VISION IN TIME.

AND I THINK THAT WE TALK ABOUT AGE GROUPS OBVIOUSLY COULD HAVE VISION LOSS EVEN WHEN AS A CHILD BUT WE THINK ABOUT ROUTINE SCREENING AND ROUTINE EYE EXAMS.

THE GENERAL GUIDELINES WILL SAY, WELL, GET YOUR EXAMS AS A CHILD.

AND THEN AS YOU GET OLDER.

20'S AND 30'S 40'S AND THEN AS WE GET OLDER, YOU START TO SEE THESE ARE THE CONDITIONS LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

AGE RELATED, MACULAR DEGENERATION, GLAUCOMA, CATARACTS, AND SO FORTH.

THAT CAN.

SLOWLY, I WOULD SAY SNEAK UP ON US TO CAUSE VISION LOSS, RIGHT?

WE MAY NOT FEEL ANYTHING WE MAY NOT NOTICE ANYTHING SUDDENLY BUT ABSOLUTELY IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THOSE EYE EXAMS EARLY, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE OKAY.

OTHER CONDITIONS THAT WE THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT OUR.

DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT AFFECT HER BODY CAN ULTIMATELY AFFECT ARISE.

CAUSE VISION CHANGES, CAUSE VISION LOSS AND AGAIN MAY NOT AFFECT US RIGHT AWAY.

CAUSE PAIN, BUT CAN BE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING.

>> CAN YOU TOUCH ON WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO US?

>> GETTING EYE DISEASES LIKE GLAUCOMA AND CATARACTS.

>> YES, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS NO OUR FAMILY HISTORY.

AND SO WE THINK ABOUT GLAUCOMA, UNDERSTANDING WHO IN OUR FAMILY MAY HAVE HAD A CLOCK A MOST, THAT WE CAN GET AN EARLY INTERVENTION THERE, OF COURSE, ARE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE GLAUCOMA.

SO EVEN.

A LARGE LENDER COUNTERACT CAN CAUSE HIGH PRESSURE IN THE EYE, BUT THERE ALSO DISCERN THAT TO ME.

WE TALK ABOUT CATARACTS AGAIN.

IT CAN BE MULTI-FACTOR.

WELL, BUT I THINK MOST OF US WITH AN ACCOUNT OR ACTS, IT'S WE ALL GET CATARACTS, RIGHT?

I HAVE A CATARACT AS WE GET OLDER IN TIME.

CATARACTS MAY AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO DO CERTAIN THINGS LIKE DRIVE OR WALK AROUND AT NIGHT.

AND SO FOR THAT.

SO ON.

BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I'M A WRITER SPECIALIST.

I HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT CATARACT SURGEON COLLEAGUES, BUT ULTIMATELY IF A CAT IS AFFECTING YOUR VISION AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT OR THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.

>> AND I KNOW MANY TIMES WE DON'T REALIZE THAT I HEALTH CAN ACTUALLY BE A PREDICTOR OF OVERALL HEALTH AND THAT AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST CAN DETECT OTHER DISEASES DURING A NORMAL EYE EXAM.

WHAT KINDS OF HEALTH CONDITIONS CAN BE A LIMITED IN A ROUTINE, COMPLETE EYE EXAM.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND COMING AND ONE THING I'M GOING TO TURN OVER TO JEFF I CAN TELL YOU SO MANY TIMES HOW WE'VE SEEN PATIENTS COME IN THAT THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'RE SEEING ME IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A CERTAIN SYSTEM, A CONDITION LIKE DIABETES OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

AND THEN WE'RE REFERRING THEM TO THEIR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CARED FOR.

BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, TO PREVENT BLINDNESS HAS DONE A SURVEY AROUND SOME OF THIS.

SO MAYBE, JEFF, YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, WE DO.

WE'VE DONE A SURVEY RECENTLY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IS THAT THAT.

>> MOST PEOPLE 75% OF PEOPLE.

I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT SO MANY I HEALTH CONDITIONS ADVANCE WITHOUT SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW AS DR CHAN ALLUDED TO THERE, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE DETECTED THROUGH A SIMPLE EYE EXAM.

WE'RE LEARNING MORE THAT HIGH CHOLESTEROL, BRAIN TUMORS, DIABETES, ET CETERA, CAN BE DETECTED THROUGH EYE EXAM.

SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER THEIR EYE DOCTOR THEIR FIRST SOURCE OF CARDIOLOGY EXPERTISE.

BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT THAT THAT TUNE IN TO YOUR EYE HEALTH CAN CERTAINLY IMPACT OTHER.

I HELP OTHER HEALTH CARE CONDITIONS.

>> CAN YOU GIVE US SOME TIPS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR VISION?

AND I WONDER SUNGLASSES REALLY HELP.

>> I I ALWAYS SAY TO MY PATIENTS, HEALTHY LIFE, HEALTHY EYES, RIGHT?

SO MAKING SURE THAT YOUR OVERALL HEALTH IS IS IS GOOD.

DIET EXERCISE, ALL OF YOU TO ALL OF THESE THINGS MATTER.

AND YES, SUNGLASSES ARE IMPORTANT AS WE GET OLDER UV PROTECTION.

BUT ALSO JUST IN GENERAL, I PROTECTION IS IMPORTANT AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER AROUND AROUND CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET THEIR EYES CHECKED EARLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR CHAN AND JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> FOR MORE HEALTH, CONSCIOUS ADVICE AND UPDATES ON THE LATEST MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT OUR WEB PAGE AT WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

FLORIDA IS A VACATIONERS PARADISE AND TOURISM CONTINUES TO BE A DRIVING FORCE IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMY LAST YEAR, A RECORD 143 MILLION VISITORS CAME TO THE SUNSHINE STATE, CONTRIBUTING NEARLY 130 BILLION DOLLARS TO FLORIDA'S ECONOMY.

WGC USED HEAVY BURNED, LEARNED HOW THIS GROWTH IN TOURISM HAS BEEN FELT IN GORDA WHICH SAW AN INCREASE IN VISITORS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

>> SO I'M JOINED BY THE TORRENT DIRECTOR FOR THE GORDA AND ENGLEWOOD BEACH VISITOR CONVENTION BUREAU.

SEAN DOHERTY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> ABSOLUTE GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> SO LAST YEAR, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS REPORTED RECORD-BREAKING NUMBERS FOR TOURISM.

WERE YOU SEEING SIMILAR THINGS IN THE GORDA AREA LAST YEAR?

>> SO LAST YEAR WE HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A DIP, BUT WE WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE DEALING STILL DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANES.

HELENE AND MILTON.

BUT I AM HAPPY TO REPORT SO FAR THIS YEAR IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE UP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO WE JUST GOT OUR NUMBERS BACK FROM MARCH.

FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE'RE UP ABOUT 5% VERSUS LAST MARCH.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> AND THEN I WANT TO TALK WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT AREA IS BIG FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM.

AND WE WERE JUST TALKING BEFORE THIS.

AND YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN BRINGING MORE EUROPEAN PARTICIPANTS TO COME AND VISIT THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA.

>> YET SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T REALLY FOCUSED ON IN THE PAST, WE WE KIND OF DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE BUDGET TO REALLY GO AFTER THOSE RIGHT WAY.

SO WE WE KIND OF HELD OFF, BUT THE PAST COUPLE YEARS WERE ABLE TO BRING ON SOME INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION FIRMS TO HELP US BOTH IN THE UK MARKET AND THE GERMAN MARKET IN PARTICULAR.

AND WE ARE SEEING SOME STRIDES THERE.

WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN VISITATION FROM BOTH OF THOSE CENTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.

SO WE'RE WE'RE OPTIMISTIC AND EXCITED BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE JUST STARTED DOING THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHERE WE START TO SEE RETURNS ON THAT.

>> AND THEN ALSO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS REALLY DIVING INTO THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THE SUNSEEKER RESORT.

YOU COULD EVENTUALLY CENTER AND THAT HAS BEEN A BIG PROJECT AND HOPEFULLY BRINGING MORE PEOPLE IN FOR YOU.

SO WHAT IS FUTURE FOR THAT?

I MEAN, IS IT CONTINUES TO GROW.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING?

IT CONTINUES TO BRING FOR THE AREA?

>> YES, SO IT WAS ON A GOOD TRAJECTORY ALREADY IN FROM YEAR ONE TO 2 TO 3 AND THAT THEY WERE INCREASING THEIR BUSINESS PARTICULAR FROM THE MEETINGS, INVENTION SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ALSO THE LEISURE BUSINESS WAS STARTING TO RAMP UP AS WELL.

ONE THING THAT THEY DID FIND OUT IN THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS IS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MEETING SPACE.

THEY WERE LOSING SOME BUSINESS TO SOME BIG CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS ONLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT EXTRA THEY JUMPED ON IT AND THEY ARE GETTING READY TO BREAK GROUND VERY SOON.

ON 100,000 SQUARE FEET OF ADDITIONAL MEETING SPACE.

SO I THINK THAT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, REALLY DO A LOT FOR FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE MARKET TO WHERE WE CAN BRING IN A LOT OF THOSE VISITORS THAT ARE COMING FOR MEETINGS IN MENTIONS AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT CONVERTS INTO FUTURE LEISURE VISITORS AS WELL.

AND SOME WILL COME BECAUSE THEY THEY'VE COME ATTEND THAT CONFERENCE AND THEY GET EXPOSED TO THE STATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND THEY THEY LIKE AND THEY COME BACK.

>> SO WITHIN THIS EXCESSIVE SUN SEEKERS ARE ANY PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTING OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS VENTURES SIMILAR TO THAT TO HELP AGAIN, INCREASE THAT FLOW OF TOURISM COMING THROUGH THE AREA.

SO, YEAH, WE HAVE ANOTHER ANOTHER PROJECT GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH FISHERMAN'S VILLAGE.

YOU PROBABLY HEARD THAT IT'S RECENTLY BEEN SOLD.

>> AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD ENTAIL.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THAT WHILE IT WAS UP FOR SALE OVER THE PAST YEARS, IT WAS ABLE TO OPERATE BUSINESS AS USUAL WITH A NEW OWNER COMING ON ON BOARD WERE HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL LEAD TO SOME MORE EXPANSION OF THAT.

THE OFFERINGS THERE THEY'RE WORKING ON.

I KNOW ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WILL BE WORKING ON IS GETTING THAT MARINA MARINA BACK UP AND RUNNING.

BUT THERE'S ALSO 3 NEW RESTAURANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT VERY SOON.

THEY SHOULD BE OPENING WITHIN THE NEXT A COUPLE MONTHS.

SO, YEAH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

>> AND THEN THE MARINA TOOK A HIT FROM SEVERAL HURRICANES IN THE PAST.

BUT NOW WE HAD A DRY SEASON LAST YEAR.

THINGS ARE LOOKING OPTIMISTIC AS WE ENTER HURRICANE SEASON COMING HERE IN JUNE.

1ST.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE KIND OF THIS DEATH AND THIS DIE DOWN OF HURRICANES, HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU WHEN BOTH PLANNING EVENTS AND PLANNING THING'S FOR PEOPLE OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS?

>> YOU KNOW, THE FURTHER YOU GET AWAY FROM A STORM OCCURRING, THE PERCEPTION CONTINUES TO IMPROVE.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE THING THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH LAST YEAR.

NOT ONLY WAS IT THAT AFTER MATH OF THOSE STORMS AND THE SUMMER VACATION RENTALS STILL BEING DAMAGING COMING BACK ONLINE AND AND ALL.

BUT IS THAT PERCEPTION?

SO THE FURTHER WE GET AWAY FROM A STORM OCCURRING HERE, PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET THEY HAVE SHORT MEMORIES, WHICH IS GOOD FROM THAT STANDPOINT.

SO AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT WE GET, YOU KNOW, REALLY HIT HARD BY A BY A HURRICANE.

SO THAT'S ONLY GOING TO BE HELPFUL TO US.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW.

>> WHERE YOU LOOKED AT WHAT CHARLOTTE COUNTY IS KNOWN FOR.

IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A GUESS THAT BEACH TOUTING THAT SAY A SANIBEL DOES OR IN APRIL THE SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WHEN COMING TO THE AREA CAN EXPECT AND IS THERE ANYTHING PLANNED IN THE FUTURE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE MARKING DOWN THEIR CALENDARS FOR?

YES, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR BEACHES AREN'T AS WELL KNOWN AS THE SOME OTHER ONES, BUT IT'S STILL THE MAJOR GRALL OF PEOPLE COMING TOWARD A STATION.

OUR RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT CLOSE TO 30% OF PEOPLE CHOOSE TO COME TO OUR DESTINATION PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE BEACHES.

AND THEN OVER HALF OF THE PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT WASN'T THEIR PRIMARY REASON FOR COMING, THEY STILL GO TO THE BEACHES AT SOME POINT DURING THEIR VISIT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT WE REALLY SELL OUR DESTINATION AS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION DESTINATIONS.

SO THERE'S SO MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES GET ON THE WATER, WHETHER IT'S FISHING, YOU KNOW, WE WE CAN CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT HOW WERE THE TARPON FISHING CAPITAL WORLD.

AND WE'VE GOT WE JUST HAD FISHING JOURNALISTS IN TOWN AND THEY HAD A GREAT WATER.

ALL OF THEM CALLED TARPON DURING THEIR VISIT.

BUT KAYAKING JET SKIING, ANYTHING YOU DO ON THE WATER, WE'VE GOT IT RIGHT HERE BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT CHARLOTTE HARBOR.

WE'VE GOT THE RIVERS.

WE'VE GOT THE GULF.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO GET OUT ON THE WATER OR GETTING UP CLOSE WITH NATURE TO.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF ECO TOURS.

SUNSET CRUISES THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO IT'S KIND OF WHAT WHERE WE KIND OF FOCUS ON PROMOTING OUR DESTINATION ABOUT IS GETTING OUTDOORS.

>> SO WHEN ADVENTURES PARADISE, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, MISTER DOHERTY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE AND TALK WITH US TODAY ABOUT THIS.

ABSOLUTELY, ANYTIME.

>> HERE'S A LITTLE MORE ON THE HISTORY OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY.

ONCE THE ENGLISH CLAIMED THE AREA CALLED CARLOS BAY, IT WAS RENAMED CHARLOTTE HARBOR IN HONOR OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE, THE WIFE OF KING GEORGE, THE 3RD.

YOU CAN FOLLOW OUR TOURISM STORIES ALL ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BY SIMPLY LOGGING ONTO WGC.

YOU DOT ORG.

AFTER 0 HURRICANES MADE LANDFALL LAST YEAR.

THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE BEING FELT DURING THE 2026 SPRING TOURISM SEASON.

PLACES LIKELY COUNTY SAW A ROBUST GROWTH IN THEIR TOURISM WITH MANY VISITORS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ENHANCED BEACH INFRASTRUCTURE AND PRISTINE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

WGC USED EDDIE BYRNE HAS MORE ON HOW POTENTIAL TRAVELERS ARE FOCUSING IN ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AS THEIR PREFERRED VACATION DESTINATION >> SO EVEN THOUGH FOR US HERE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, THE SNOWBIRD SEASON HAS COME TO AN END.

OUR AREA STILL RELIES ON TOURISM THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS.

THE STATE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE.

AS YOU SEE TRAVELERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERNET FOR THE BEST DEALS THEY CAN FIND WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A TRIP TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR NEW TOOLS TO HELP THEM FIND THE BEST DEALS.

AND ONE OF THE 4 LEADING EXPERTS IN HOW THIS HAPPENS IS JENNIFER JONES.

JENNIFER, A GOOGLE SEARCH EXPERT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

SO BEFORE WE GET GOING INTO THE ECONOMICS, I THINK EVERYONE WILL HEAR.

IT'S A A GOOGLE SEARCH EXPERT WILL ON THAT.

BUT YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONAL WHEN IT COMES INTO THIS.

SO HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT POSITION?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I STUDIED REALLY HARD.

NO KIDDING.

ANYBODY CAN BE A GOOGLE SEARCH EXPERT.

AS YOU NOTED.

BUT IT IS PART OF MY MY JOB.

AND WHAT I DO IS I ANALYZE THE ANONYMOUS AND AGGREGATE DATA THAT WE SIGNED ON A WEBSITE IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

AND THAT GOOGLE DOT COM SLASH TRENDS.

YOU CAN GO LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS TRENDING IN YOUR AREA IN REAL TIME AND PART OF WHAT I DO IS TO STUDY THAT A LOT.

>> ALSO DOWN IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, IT'S NOT JUST THE DESTINATION OR PEOPLE IN THE U.S.

AND IN OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY.

WE BENEFIT FROM TRAVELERS ACROSS THE GLOBE TO FIND THEIR WAY HERE.

SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TRENDS YOU'RE SEEING FOR OUR AREA IN YOUR POSITION?

>> YEAH, I LOVE LOOKING UP CITIES AND TOWNS DATA.

IT'S SUPER FUN.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE TRENDS ACROSS.

THEN.

SO NO TRAVEL IS A REALLY BIG TREND INTERNATIONALLY RIGHT NOW WITH FOLKS LOOKING TO DO HEAD OUT WITH OR WITHOUT SOMEONE WITH THEM.

SO SO TRAVEL IS A BIG TO KILL WOMEN.

SELLO TRAVEL IS A BIG DEAL AND ACTUALLY IN FORT MYERS, THE BEST PLACE TO TRAVEL SOLO.

THAT IS UP BY FOR 1000%.

THAT IS NOT A TYPO.

THAT IS LITERALLY 4 NUMBERS.

4,000% MONTH-OVER-MONTH FORT MYERS IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO TRAVEL SOLO.

>> NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA FOR REASONS FOR THAT?

I WOULD ASSUME THAT MAYBE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A HURRICANE LAST YEAR.

SO THAT COULD HELP.

BUT ARE REALLY HAVING ANY IDEA OF WHAT IS LEADING TO THAT MASSIVE SURGE IN JUST SEARCHES AND PEOPLE INTERESTED IN COMING TO OUR AREA.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA ON EXACTLY WHAT THAT MIGHT BE.

ONE MIGHT ASSUME THAT IT'S JUST THE GENERAL BITE THAT IT'S THE GREATNESS OF YOUR CITY.

AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE TIME IN THE SUNSHINE NEVER HURTS.

>> SO NOW WE'VE SEEN SOME EGGS INFLOWS WHEN IT COMES TO PRICES OF AIR TRAVEL, WHETHER IT'S FUEL PRICES, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS IS SO FROM YOUR ROLE, WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEADING INTO SUMMER OF 2026.

>> YEAH, EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW I THINK WANTS TO SAVE MONEY IT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE OUT THERE TO TRAVEL RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD GOOGLE FLIGHTS.

IT'S A WONDERFUL TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE TO TRACK YOUR PLANT.

YOUR YOUR UP PRICES ON YOUR FLIGHTS.

I MODE AND SEARCH CAN HELP YOU PLAN FOR YOUR TRIPS.

IT'S BASICALLY TAKING THE BEST OF AN AI CHATBOTS AND THE GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU CAN HAVE ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS AT US AND ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS.

IT'S A GREAT TRIP PLANNING TOOL THAT TAKES ALL OF YOUR SCATTERED, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH ACROSS DIFFERENT DIFFERENCE.

I SEE NO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A FRIEND AND IT PUTS IT TOGETHER INTO A CUSTOM ITINERARY WITH LOTS OF OPTIONS THAT CAN CERTAINLY SAVE YOU MONEY.

>> AND THEN IN YOUR SUMMARY, HOW'S IT LOOKING FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE FOR PEOPLE COMING TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AS THE TOP STORIES OF THE SEASON PICKS BACK UP AGAIN TO YOU.

SEE THIS AS A CONTINUING TREND OF MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN OUR AREA OR IS THIS OUT?

IT'S KIND OF PEEKING.

>> I LOVE THAT.

YOU'RE ASKING THIS SO WE DO HAVE A LIST TO SHARE OF DOMESTIC DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS RIGHT NOW AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASES COMPARED TO SUMMER 2025.

DEFINITELY HAS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ON THERE.

SO IN A NUMBER TO SARASOTA NUMBER 2 DOMESTIC SEARCH RIGHT NOW AND THEN IN THE TOP 10, WE ALSO HAVE FORT MYERS, FLORIDA AND PANAMA CITY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT.

I'M NOT TOTALLY SURE.

BUT I DO FEEL LIKE THIS IS TRENDING TO THE WEST OF FLORIDA AND MIAMI OVER THERE ON THE EAST.

BETTER WATCH OUT.

>> AND THEN FOR ANYONE THAT'S GETTING READY TO BOOK THOSE TRIPS FOR THEIR SUMMER BREAKS THERE, DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL TIPS OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PEOPLE AS THEY'RE HOPPING ONLINE, GETTING READY TO GO.

WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE GO TO AND WHAT SHOULD THEY LOOK FOR SPECIFICALLY WHEN TRYING TO FIND THAT PERFECT, YOU KNOW, DESTINATION FOR A NICE VACATION.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, ED TRIP PLANNING IS THE NEW WAY TO DO THINGS IT.

GOOGLE MAKES IT SUPER I MODE IN GOOGLE SEARCH AND THROUGH OUR USE OF GEMINI AND THEN CERTAINLY THE HOTEL PRICE TRACKING AND FLIGHT TRACKING THE REALLY GREAT WAYS TO SAVE THE MONEY AND TO BE ABLE TO JUST MOVE FORWARD AND THAT PLANNING AND GETTING A WIN ON YOUR DESTINATION AND ALL THE CITY TALES.

>> PERFECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH US.

AND HOPEFULLY A LOT OF PEOPLE LEARNED WHEN THEY GET READY TO BOOK THEIR NEXT TRIP.

>> COMING UP ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM, MILLENNIALS ARE LOOKING TO DO MORE INVESTING AND PLANNING FOR THEIR FINANCIAL FUTURES, BUT CREATING A FISCAL FAMILY PLAN APPEARS TO BE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WD C DOT ORG.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN BACK HERE FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.