‘Sand is like gold.’ The pricey cost of restoring Florida’s beaches before the next Hurricane hits

Sand walkway to South Beach — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Mia2you The Sunshine State’s beautiful sandy beaches aren’t just one of the biggest money-makers in the state’s tourism industry, they’re also the first line of defense against storm surges and flooding caused by tropical storms and hurricanes. Now, after both coasts were hit during

Florida expects millions of spring breakers while facing major staff shortages

Spring Breakers Enjoy the Beach — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Jillian Cain Photography While Florida saw a bleak 1,500 people a day in 2020 and about 65,000 Spring Breakers in 2021, it is estimated that 570,000 students will be on holiday in the Sunshine State this year.  The University of South Florida and the majority of

In an attempt to bring tourists back to the Sunshine State, Visit Florida asks for $75 million

Visit Florida Postcard – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Callahan Florida’s tourism and marketing agency will ask lawmakers to extend its life and maintain increased funding as the state increases efforts to attract international visitors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Chairman Danny Gaekwad of Visit Florida told members of the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors on

Two Florida cities earn a spot on Time magazine’s ‘World’s 100 Greatest Places’ list

St. Armands Circle Sarasota, FL Lido Key Aerial Drone – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Suncoast Aerials Two Florida cities snagged a spot on a globe-spanning list of top destinations by one of the world’s most famous magazines.  Time magazine debuted its ‘The World’s 100 Greatest Places of 2021’ list, and Orlando and Sarasota both

Tampa unseats Miami on Best Cities in America list for 2021

Tampa, Florida, USA downtown city skyline over the Hillsborough River – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by ESB Professional News Flash! There’s more to Florida than just Miami. While Miami is certainly the most well-known city in the Sunshine State for a number of reasons, people often forget about the other big cities that make Florida—well,

Want to cruise? Not so fast-Royal Caribbean announces unvaccinated travelers must carry travel insurance to board ships

Sunset Open Deck of Cruise Ship – Courtesy: Shutterstock: Image by Yevgen Belich Making headlines yet again, Royal Caribbean International announced Tuesday that it will require all guests over the age of 16 departing from U.S. ports, excluding Florida, to be fully vaccinated before boarding their ships. The announcement comes two weeks after a scheduled

Two South Florida developers are collaborating to bring 5 inland Crystal Lagoons to Central Florida

Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by heru sukma cahyanto There are no beaches in Central Florida, but that may soon change after news broke that two major South Florida developers are looking to bring public access lagoons to Central Florida. According to Iván Manzur, Senior Vice President of Sales of Crystal Lagoon US Corp, Hollywood-based investment

Florida comes in at No. 2 on 2021 Most “Fun State” in America list according to new survey

Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Shift Drive “Fun” is perceived and interpreted differently by everyone. One thing that may be fun for you may not be for someone else. However, one thing that remains constant: Florida has at least 1 fun thing for everyone. Some states are blessed with fun at every turn, and in

Royal Caribbean pushes back debut sailing for new ship out of Florida after eight crew members test positive for COVID-19

Courtesy: Joe Raedle-Getty Images Royal Caribbean announced earlier this morning that it will push back its first scheduled sailing out of Florida’s Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to the end of July. Originally scheduled for a July 3 departure, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, faced a predictable setback in its debut out

Ultra Music Festival signs peace treaty with downtown Miami residents striking necessary balance to remain in Miami for years to come

MIAMI, FLORIDA / UNITED STATES – MARCH 30, 2019: Ultra Music Festival at the Miami Marine Stadium in Virginia Key, Florida – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Hunter Crenian After years of battling with local city officials and the world’s largest electronic dance music festival organizer, downtown Miami residents can breathe a sigh of relief