Conventions Hurt by Coronavirus Fears but not Theme Parks

Disney, Universal haven't noticed changes in attendance. Photo: Brian McGowan @sushioutlaw


Three convention groups have canceled their conferences in Orlando, Florida over concerns about the new coronavirus.
But local officials said Thursday that individual leisure travel to the most visited destination in the U.S. appears to be unaffected by coronavirus fears.
Even though @OrangeCoFL lost roughly $154 million in potential #EconomicImpact from three major @OCCC conventions, our leisure travelers continue to come to Orange County and enjoy all there is to offer. @VisitOrlando reports that the virus has had no impact on leisure travel.
— Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings (@OCFLMayor) March 5, 2020
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says the the cancellations of the three conventions represented a local economic impact of $154 million. No case of the new coronavirus has been detected in the county.
The nearest case in Florida was at least 65 miles away in the Tampa area. President Donald Trump and several administration health officials had been slated to speak at one of the canceled conventions.
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