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Pence visits Orlando to talk reopening Florida and tourism industry

Pence visits Orlando to talk reopening Florida and tourism industry
MEETING. GREG? GREG BASICALLY THE VICE PRESIDENT WHO WRAPPED UP A SHORT WHILE AGO AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR 20 MINUTES LEADING THE PANEL SAID DESANTI HAS SET A MODEL FOR REOPENING THE STATE. GRADUALLY, SLOWLY, CAUTIOUSLY, CAREFULLY. HE ADDRESSED ONE OF THE DOZEN TOURISM LEADERS ON THE PANEL AND OTHERS LOCALLY WHO WERE IN THE AUDIENCE. HE ADDRESSED IT SAYING ESPECIALLY IN THE NEXT ROUND OF RELIEF MONEY THAT WILL BE PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE WEEKS, HE SAID THAT WILL BE AIMED AT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND WILL GIVE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO USE THE PPP MONEY TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES. HERE IS MORE OF WHAT PENCE HAD TO SAY. MIKE PENCE: NOW OUR FOCUS IS ON TWO MISSIONS: TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE OU HEALTHCARE WORKERS WITH GUIDANCE TO STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CONTINUE TO CONFRONT AND HASTEN THE DAY WE PUT THE CORONAVIRUS IN THE PAST, BUT OUR OTHER MISSION NOW IS TO OPEN UP AMERICA AGAIN. GREG: HARRIS ROLLS IN WHO OWNS THIS -- ROSEN WHO OWNS THE SHINGLE CREEK RESORT SAYS IT IS NORMALLY PACKED WITH VACATIONERS AND THAT IT HAS BEEN BASICALLY EMPTY. HE SAYS ORLANDO IS SUFFERING AND HE TOLD THE VICE PRESIDENT THIS IS A DEPRESSION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HAS 51.5% NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT. HARRIS SAID TO THE VICE PRESIDENT THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO IMPLEMENT PRECAUTIONS AND TAKE TEMPERATURES OF GUESTS AND WORKERS AND LET THEM HANDLE THE REOPENING IN A WAY THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND MAKE MONEY AGAIN. WE WILL HAVE MORE AT 6:00. STEWART: THE VICE PRESIDENT MADE SOME STOPS BEFORE HEADING TO THAT ROUND TABLE. FIRST HE DELIVERED PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO A NURSING HOME IN ORLANDO’S BALDWIN PARK. THEN HE AND THE GOVERNOR STOPPED FOR LUNCH AT THE BET
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Pence visits Orlando to talk reopening Florida and tourism industry
Vice President Mike Pence is visiting Central Florida as the region’s biggest tourist destination begins reopening. Pence visited Orlando on Wednesday to meet with tourism officials, talk to the governor and drop off protective equipment at a nursing home. Theme park executives, restaurant owners and hoteliers told the vice president at a roundtable discussion that the damage caused by shutdowns from the virus was unprecedented in a $86 billion industry that survived travel declines after the 9/11 attacks and the recession a dozen years ago.“If we don’t get people back to work quickly, it’s all over,” central Florida hotelier Harris Rosen said. “Orlando is suffering. Orlando is struggling. The hospitality industry is in deep depression.”Pence responded, “We will get this opened up.”Pence’s visit coincided with the limited opening of Disney Springs, an entertainment complex at Walt Disney World. Some third-party shops opened Wednesday at Disney Springs with new requirements and restrictions. All workers and visitors must wear masks, temperatures will be checked at entrances and a limited number of people will be allowed in. Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld have been closed since mid-March. A spokesperson for the Orange County Convention Center says 50 conventions are canceled or rescheduled, causing an estimated economic impact of more than a billion dollars.Pence is expected to offer encouragement to the tourism industry leaders on Wednesday, but without more relief funds, experts warn many businesses will not recover.On Tuesday, about 3,700 passengers departed from the airport. On the same date last year, 70,600 hundred departed, according to numbers from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.The Associated Press contributed to this report

Vice President Mike Pence is visiting Central Florida as the region’s biggest tourist destination begins reopening.

Pence visited Orlando on Wednesday to meet with tourism officials, talk to the governor and drop off protective equipment at a nursing home.

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Theme park executives, restaurant owners and hoteliers told the vice president at a roundtable discussion that the damage caused by shutdowns from the virus was unprecedented in a $86 billion industry that survived travel declines after the 9/11 attacks and the recession a dozen years ago.

“If we don’t get people back to work quickly, it’s all over,” central Florida hotelier Harris Rosen said. “Orlando is suffering. Orlando is struggling. The hospitality industry is in deep depression.”

Pence responded, “We will get this opened up.”

Pence’s visit coincided with the limited opening of Disney Springs, an entertainment complex at Walt Disney World. Some third-party shops opened Wednesday at Disney Springs with new requirements and restrictions. All workers and visitors must wear masks, temperatures will be checked at entrances and a limited number of people will be allowed in.

Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld have been closed since mid-March.

A spokesperson for the Orange County Convention Center says 50 conventions are canceled or rescheduled, causing an estimated economic impact of more than a billion dollars.

Pence is expected to offer encouragement to the tourism industry leaders on Wednesday, but without more relief funds, experts warn many businesses will not recover.

On Tuesday, about 3,700 passengers departed from the airport. On the same date last year, 70,600 hundred departed, according to numbers from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.

The Associated Press contributed to this report