families; entrepreneurs looking for action; businesses taking advantage of lower tax rates; contractors, technologists and health-care workers attracted by fulsome job availabilities – all seeking economic and lifestyle advantages in a more salubrious environment. Is it true that Florida has more hurricanes than any other state? Yes. But, in contrast with the “nightmare” years of 2004 and 2005, when eight hurricanes of varying strengths bombarded the state, there have been years with none at all. One of those years might have been 2022 which, until the end of September, had forecasters scratching their heads about the Atlantic ocean’s rare quiescence. But, in the end, that was not to be. What this means for winter travel 2022/2023? In a message prepared for CSANews, Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA president and CEO emphasized: “Canada is vitally important to Florida’s tourism industry, historically serving as our No. 1 international market. As our impacted communities in Southwest Florida continue to recover fromHurricane Ian, we want our Canadian visitors to know that Florida is open and ready to welcome them. From Miami to the Panhandle, the Sunshine State offers infinite vacation options from coast to coast, and we invite travellers from Canada to experience everything our great state has to offer this winter.” Why so many hurricanes? Why does Florida have so many hurricanes? Easy answer: almost all of its 1,350-mile coastline (the longest of any continental U.S. state except Alaska) is washed by warmwater. The warmer the water, the greater propensity for storms.That’s as true in Florida as it is in India, the Philippines and the South China Sea. But the proximity to warm water also maintains Florida’s climate, the lure for retirees, snowbirds (fromnorthern states as well as Canada) and other short- and long-term out-of-state visitors. In pre-pandemic 2019, Florida hosted 131 million out-of-state visitors, more than four million of them Canadians. And those numbers are being steadily buttressed by the arrival of young professionals from other states (and countries) relocating their Special Report Fort Myers Beach aftermath of Hurricane Ian CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 19
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