A little over a week has gone by since Florence made landfall in North Carolina and the National Hurricane Center is still monitoring the storm as it moves into the Atlantic.
Several hotel companies have stepped up to help those displaced by the hurricane. According to the Orlando Sentinel, nine Orlando-area Rosen Hotels and Resorts properties offered reduced rates for Hurricane victims via a “distress rate” that includes free lodging for guests with pets.
“Guest room rates are offered to evacuees of Hurricane Florence exclusively and will remain in effect until such time that the storm is no longer a threat,” a Rosen representative stated.
Choice Hotels International Inc. announced it would match Choice Privileges member donations to the American Red Cross, encouraging its members to donate loyalty points that convert to cash, according to HotelBusiness.com. Corporations Apple and PepsiCo Foundation made donations to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, and the meetings industry’s PCMA Foundation launched a drive for its Industry Relief Fund to raise donations that will go directly to affected individuals. As of Sept. 17, donations to the fund totaled more than $17,800.
The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) website has listed a number of businesses in the hospitality industry that have already provided support to those in need under the heading: “The Big Heart of Hospitality—Stories of Businesses Giving Back” that included:
- The Sheraton at Four Seasons in Greensboro, which sheltered 250 seniors from Wilmington
- Southern Smoke BBQ of Garland feeding first responders
- Rocky Top Hospitality partnering with World Relief Kitchen to bring food and supplies to those affected by Florence
- Numerous restaurants giving away food to first responders
As of Sept. 21, Wilmington still had flood advisories in place for parts of New Hanover County. At this time access to Wilmington was also limited, as many roads leading into the area are impassable due to flooding.
Also on Sept. 21nd, as officials continued to assess the impact from Hurricane Florence, Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “We are already seeing positive signs of recovery in our area. We continue to receive positive reports of power being restored. Cleanup efforts are well underway, and businesses are preparing to reopen throughout Wilmington and its island beaches. We have confirmed that the Wilmington Convention Center is planning to be back up and running by Oct. 1. The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is open, and we anticipate conditions will start to improve even more quickly once water levels recede.”
Prevue is currently in the process of reaching out to hotels, facilities and venues for updates and will provide them on our website as soon as we receive them.
