>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, CENTRAL FLORIDA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR THE RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS NEXT WEEK, AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S NEW COVID-19 BORDER RULES COME INTO EFFECT.

WE'LL LOOK AT WHETHER THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HAS THE CAPACITY TO MEET A RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC DEMAND.

AND THE LIFE OF THE STATE'S TOURISM MARKETING AGENCY, VISIT FLORIDA, LOOKS SET TO BE EXTENDED, DESPITE PREVIOUS SPENDING SCANDALS.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M NANCY ALVAREZ AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

AND WE DO THIS EVERY WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO HERE WITH ME, DANIELLE PRIEUR FROM 90.7 WMFE, AND VIA SKYPE, KATIE RICE, WHO COVERS THE TOURISM INDUSTRY FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

AND IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE IN THIS STUDIO IN-PERSON.

>>IT'S SO NICE TO BE HERE.

>>IT'S EXCITING.

ALL RIGHT, FIRST TONIGHT, NON-ESSENTIAL, INTERNATIONAL, TRAVEL TO THE US RESUMES ON MONDAY FOLLOWING MONTHS OF COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS.

THAT MEANS A RETURN OF OVERSEAS TOURISTS TO CENTRAL FLORIDA AS ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GEARS UP FOR THE HIGH DEMAND.

>>IT'S ALL ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER.

>>PREPARING FOR WHAT'S EXPECTED TO BE A LOT OF PENT UP DEMAND.

>>WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WE ARE PERFECTLY PREPARED TO HOST PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.

>>LEADERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY MET THIS WEEK WITH THE UK'S CONSUL GENERAL IN FLORIDA, TO TALK ABOUT THE RETURN OF BRITISH VISITORS.

THE UK ACCOUNTS FOR THE LARGEST SEGMENT OF OVERSEAS TOURISTS COMING TO THE ORLANDO AREA, NUMBERING WELL OVER A MILLION A YEAR.

>>WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS INTERNATIONALLY BY THE END OF 2023.

I DO THINK CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE ARE PERFECTLY POSITIONED, AND WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT A YEAR AHEAD OF OUR COMPETITION WITHIN THE US BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN OPEN OVER THE LAST YEAR.

>>IN NORMAL YEARS, MORE THAN 6 MILLION INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, INCLUDING CANADIANS, VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS ANNUALLY.

VISIT ORLANDO SAYS OVERSEAS TOURISTS TEND TO STAY LONGER AND SPEND MORE, COLLECTIVELY ABOUT 6 BILLION A YEAR.

BUT WHILE DOMESTIC TRAVEL TO ORLANDO HAS RAMPED UP, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL HAS REMAINED ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL, DOWN 75% IN 2020 FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, DOWN 85% FOR UK VISITORS.

>>THEY HAVEN'T SEEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS, SO THEY'LL.

>>VIRGIN ATLANTIC HASN'T FLOWN INTO ORLANDO IN MORE THAN 500 DAYS.

>>IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TIME FOR THE AIRLINES.

YOU HAVE TO THINK WHEN YOU GO BACK TO APRIL IN 2020, WE ESSENTIALLY DIDN'T OPERATE ANY PASSENGER FLIGHTS FOR THREE MONTHS.

WE WERE OPERATING CARGO FLIGHTS, AND WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB TO KIND OF DRIVE AS MUCH OF THE REVENUE UNDERNEATH THE BELLY.

BUT WE ONLY BOUGHT BACK FLIGHTS ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER WHEN WE STARTED OPERATING TO OTHER US DESTINATIONS.

>>THE AIRLINES SAY THE FIRST FLIGHTS BACK ARE BOOKED SOLID, WITH MANY EARLY INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS EXPECTED TO FLY IN TO SEE FAMILY AND CHECK ON PROPERTIES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

BRITISH AIRWAYS WILL RESUME FLIGHTS TO ORLANDO ON NOVEMBER 15TH, WHILE VIRGIN ATLANTIC WILL UPGRADE ITS AIRCRAFT TO ACCOMMODATE LARGE NUMBERS OF PASSENGERS.

>>WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS ON AT THE AIRPORT IS MAKING SURE FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, WE'RE FOCUSED, WE CAN ANTICIPATE CHANGES, WHERE WE HAVE BACKUP.

THE ISSUE FOR CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S STAFFING AND THAT YOU DON'T GET TOO MUCH OF A SURGE INTO THE FACILITY BECAUSE THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAPACITY WE'VE HAD.

>>THE RETURN OF THE OVERSEAS TOURISTS IS A RESULT OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S NEW ONE SIZE FITS ALL RULES FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS.

WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE CALLS THE SAFER, MORE STRINGENT, INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL SYSTEM, REPLACES A PATCHWORK OF RESTRICTIONS PUT IN PLACE DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

ON NOVEMBER 8TH, ALL NON-IMMIGRANT ARRIVALS, 18 AND OLDER, MUST BE FULLY VACCINATED, WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF EXCEPTIONS.

VACCINATED ARRIVALS MUST SHOW PROOF OF A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST, TAKEN WITHIN 72 HOURS OF TRAVEL.

CHILDREN UNDER 18, US CITIZENS, AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS DO NOT NEED TO BE VACCINATED, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY MUST SHOW A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST TAKEN WITHIN 24 HOURS OF TRAVEL.

MUCH OF POLICING OF THESE NEW RULES WILL BE DONE BY THE AIRLINES.

>>WE ARE THE GATEKEEPERS FOR MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING FROM THE US TO THE UK OR VICE VERSA AS WELL.

I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMUNICATION AND THE DIRECTION FROM GOVERNMENTS, WHICH SO FAR HAS BEEN QUITE CLEAR, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY UPON US AS AN AIRLINE WHEN WE RECEIVE CUSTOMERS AT THE AIRPORT TO CHECK THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, A LOT TO UNPACK HERE, RIGHT?

>>YES.

>>AND I DIDN'T MEAN THAT AS A JOKE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOURISTS UNPACKING, BUT LET'S GET TO IT.

SO DANIELLE, WHAT DO OFFICIALS EXPECT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE TRAVEL CHANGES ON MONDAY TO BE FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA?

>>YEAH.

IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT.

>>BIG TIME.

>>IT'S GOING TO BE, $765 MILLION IN 2022 ALONE, SO WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME THEM BACK.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS STAY LONGER, THEY SPEND MORE MONEY.

ALREADY ON MONDAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 25 FLIGHTS FROM OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS COMING INTO MCO.

SO REALLY GOOD, HAPPY, NEWS FINALLY FOR THIS AREA.

>>IT'S VERY EXCITING.

>>YEAH.

>>AND THEN KATIE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO BRING IN OUR PARKS, OUR RESORTS THAT YOU COVER FOR THE SENTINEL.

DO THEY EXPECT TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT BUMP FROM THE RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, RIGHT AWAY, ARE WE GOING TO SEE AN IMPACT OVERNIGHT OR DO THEY THINK IT'LL TAKE SOME TIME?

>>WELL, THE THEME PARKS ARE VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME PEOPLE BACK AND WHILE THEY DON'T SHARE ANY SPECIFIC ATTENDANCE FIGURES OR PROJECTIONS, A SPOKESWOMAN FROM UNIVERSAL ORLANDO SAID THAT THEY'RE SEEING SOME ENCOURAGING BOOKINGS SO FAR.

AND THE DEMAND IS DEFINITELY THERE.

PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING THEIR EXCITEMENT AND SOMETIMES THEIR ITINERARIES FOR THESE TRIPS, BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN 18 MONTHS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO VISIT THEIR FAVORITE PARKS.

>>YEAH.

AND, DANIELLE, NON-ESSENTIAL LAND TRAVEL REOPENS NEXT WEEK AS WELL.

AND WE'RE APPROACHING SNOWBIRD SEASON, OF COURSE, NOT JUST HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT ALL OVER THE STATE.

SO HOW MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC SEGMENT ARE THE LONGER STAY CANADIAN VISITORS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IMPACT TO OUR STATE ECONOMY FROM THEM?

>>QUITE A BIT.

>>YEAH.

>>SO INCLUDING SOME OF MY OWN FAMILY MEMBERS, THEY'LL BE COMING BACK, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THEY BRING IN ABOUT $6.5 BILLION.

SO ABOUT A MILLION OF THEM STAY HERE FOR SIX MONTHS OR LONGER TO GET AWAY FROM THOSE VERY LONG CANADIAN WINTERS, THAT ARE BEGINNING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WE SAW ABOUT A 97% DECREASE FROM WHAT WE USUALLY SEE COMING IN FROM CANADA.

SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS QUICKLY REBOUND, BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST KIND OF CREATORS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FOR THIS AREA.

>>YEAH.

TALKING ABOUT VISIT ORLANDO, WE JUST HEARD FROM THEM THERE, YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP, RIGHT?

>>YES.

>>WHAT A TIME, RELATIVELY NEW, BUT WHAT A TIME TO TAKE OVER THE AGENCY.

VISIT ORLANDO SAYS OVERSEAS VISITORS SHOULD TAKE COMFORT FROM THE COVID SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE AT OUR THEME PARKS AND OUR ATTRACTIONS.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE SORT OF SENDING OUT THERE TO THE WORLD.

ARE MANY OF THOSE RULES STILL IN PLACE?

>>THEY'RE NOT.

>>RIGHT.

>>A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST FACE MASKS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED, STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.

THE ONLY PARK REALLY WITH A FACE MASK MANDATE STILL IN PLACE IS DISNEY.

AND THAT'S ONLY INDOORS.

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE PARKS RECENTLY, LIKE I HAVE BEEN, JUST FOR FUN, A LOT OF THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING IS GONE, THE CAPACITY LIMITS ARE GONE, AND THEY'RE VERY, VERY BUSY AND PACKED AND LOOK LIKE THEY DID ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.

>>YEAH.

WE'RE GETTING BACK TO THAT OLD LIFE.

AND, KATIE, YOU'VE WRITTEN ABOUT HOW THE THEME PARKS, LIKE UNIVERSAL FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE BEEN DOING WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.

WHAT HAVE PROFITS LOOKED LIKE IN RECENT QUARTERS WITH THE RETURN OF DOMESTIC TOURISM, AND DID DELTA HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT?

>>YEAH, SO IT REALLY VARIES.

THEME PARKS ARE LARGELY CONTINUING TO SEE A REBOUND IN ATTENDANCE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO, IN PARTICULAR, JUST SAW ITS MOST PROFITABLE QUARTER EVER FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, WHICH LARGELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE LARGER COMCAST COMPANY'S GLOBAL THEME PARK DIVISION HAVING ITS MOST PROFITABLE QUARTER SINCE THE START OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

AND COMCAST EXECUTIVES SAID THEY HOPE THE EASING OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS WOULD ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT ATTENDANCE AND THAT PROFIT AT THE COMPANY'S PARKS WORLDWIDE.

AND AT DISNEY, CEO BOB CHAPEK REVEALED IN SEPTEMBER THAT THE COMPANY'S PARKS SAW A DIP IN ATTENDANCE DUE TO THE DELTA VARIANT BEFORE LABOR DAY.

BUT TRAFFIC REALLY REBOUNDED DURING THAT HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND PARK RESERVATIONS ARE CONTINUING TO INCREASE IN THE COMPANY'S FOURTH QUARTER FROM ITS THIRD, WHICH ENDED IN JULY.

DURING DISNEY'S LAST EARNINGS CALL EXECUTIVES SAID THE COMPANY WAS STILL EXPERIENCING SOME CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC DUE IN PART TO LOWER CAPACITIES AT THE THEME PARKS.

BUT THOSE CAPACITIES ARE CONTINUING TO INCREASE WITH DEMAND IN STAFFING AT THE PARKS.

>>AND WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THOSE RESERVATION SYSTEMS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

LIKE AT DISNEY, I FEEL LIKE THESE INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS ARE GOING TO GET BACK AND GO, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FASTPASS?"

EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT.

>>IT'S GONE.

>>GEEZ.

DANIELLE, FULL VACCINATION IS REQUIRED FOR MOST INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS NOW, BUT BOOSTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT OIA, SO DO OVERSEAS TRAVELERS QUALIFY AND WHAT IS THE DEMAND FOR VACCINES AT THE AIRPORT?

>>THEY CAN.

AND SO IT'S NOT JUST LOCAL RESIDENTS, BUT EVERYBODY KIND OF SCRAMBLING FOR THESE BOOSTERS RIGHT NOW.

SO AS LONG AS YOU MEET THOSE AGE REQUIREMENTS, YOU CAN GET YOUR FIRST SHOT OR YOUR BOOSTER SHOT AT THE AIRPORT ON THE THIRD FLOOR.

SO THE DEMAND IS PRETTY HIGH, BECAUSE THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVEN AIRLINE WORKERS AND TSA WORKERS NOW NEED TO BE FULLY VACCINATED.

SO THE LINES ARE LONG.

>>ISN'T THAT ONE OF THOSE SURREAL THINGS?

>>IT IS.

>>WHERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, IF I WOULD'VE TOLD YOU, "COME TO DISNEY, GET A VACCINE AT THE AIRPORT."

>>I KNOW.

>>RIGHT?

>>I WOULD SAY, "WHAT?"

>>IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT HERE WE ARE.

>>YEAH.

>>YEAH.

HERE WE ARE.

WELL, KATIE, THE BRITISH CONSUL GENERAL IN FLORIDA THIS WEEK TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COP26 CLIMATE SUMMIT IN SCOTLAND AND HOW SHE WANTS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM.

SO YOU RECENTLY WROTE ABOUT SOME OF THE FUTURE CHALLENGES FACING DISNEY, FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO REALLY INTERESTING HOT TOPIC.

SO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU FOUND.

>>SURE.

YEAH, SO DISNEY'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY STARTED OCTOBER 1ST WITH THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAGIC KINGDOM'S OPENING.

SO I TALKED TO EXPERTS TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT 50 YEARS MIGHT HOLD FOR THE RESORT.

THEY TALKED ABOUT LEAPS FORWARD IN AREAS LIKE RIDE TECHNOLOGY, IMMERSIVE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES, AND VIRTUAL REALITY.

BUT THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE COMPANY WOULD HAVE TO RECKON WITH ISSUES LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS IN THE DECADES AHEAD.

CLIMATE CHANGE SPECIFICALLY COULD POSE A BIG THREAT TO THE RESORT.

AS WE ALL KNOW, CENTRAL FLORIDA IS RELATIVELY HOT AND HUMID YEAR ROUND, AND ANY INCREASE IN ITS AVERAGE TEMPERATURE COULD POTENTIALLY DETER VISITORS, IN ADDITION TO POSING A POTENTIAL HEALTH THREAT.

ANALYSTS PREDICT ORLANDO'S AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURES COULD HIT 88 DEGREES BY 2070, AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS A YEAR WITH TEMPERATURES OVER 95 COULD ABSOLUTELY SOAR FROM 21 TO 135 DAYS A YEAR IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

SO IN RECENT YEARS, DISNEY AND OTHER LOCAL THEME PARKS HAVE INSTALLED THINGS LIKE MISTERS AND FANS IN THEIR LINES TO KEEP ATTENDEES COOL, BUT LOCAL THEME PARKS WILL HAVE TO CERTAINLY REEVALUATE THEIR STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

THAT BECOMES AN INCREASINGLY PRESSING ISSUE.

>>SUCH AN INTERESTING TOPIC, IMPORTANT WORK THERE.

I'M SURE THAT, KATIE, YOU'LL BE STAYING ON TOP OF THAT.

WE'LL BE FOLLOWING YOUR WORK.

AND ISN'T IT NICE, DANIELLE, JUST TO BE TOP TALKING ABOUT THESE TOURISTS RETURNING?

>>IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO FINALLY BE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING GOOD.

>>YEAH.

SO IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY FOR OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND ALL OF OUR TOURISM WORKERS HERE.

WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S NEW TRAVEL RULES, INTERNATIONAL TOURISM DATA, FROM VISIT ORLANDO AND THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE'S RESOLUTION TRADE WITH THE UK.

IT'S ALL ON OUR WEBSITE.

INTERESTING READS THERE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON NOW.

NEXT TONIGHT, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT JOBS.

RECENT DATA FROM THE US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS SHOW FLORIDA BESTED THE NATION IN MONTH-TO-MONTH JOB GROWTH IN SEPTEMBER, BUT THERE ARE SOME WARNING SIGNS ON THE HORIZON.

THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FINDS CONSUMER SENTIMENT IN OUR STATE FELL IN OCTOBER FOR THE THIRD MONTH IN A ROW AMIDST SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, HIGHER PRICES, AND OF COURSE, LABOR SHORTAGES, WHICH HAVE HIT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ESPECIALLY HARD.

MY COLLEAGUE STEVE MORT SPOKE WITH TOURISM ECONOMIST ROBERTICO CROES IS FROM UCF'S ROSEN SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY, WHICH JUST COMPLETED A SURVEY OF WORKERS TO FIND OUT WHY MANY ARE RELUCTANT TO RETURN.

>>THERE IS A HUGE SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW AND THE QUIT NUMBERS ARE REALLY STAGGERING.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN AUGUST, ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 892,000 HOSPITALITY EMPLOYEES QUIT THEIR JOBS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS TWICE AS HIGH AS THE NATIONAL QUIT, AND ITS INDICATION THAT THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE AND OF COURSE HERE IN ORLANDO IS SUFFERING FROM THAT LABOR SHORTAGE.

EVERYBODY EXPECTED THAT DEMAND WOULD BE A PROBLEM AT THE BEGINNING FOR THE QUICK RECOVERY, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE ACTUALLY THE SUPPLY SIDE LABOR.

AND WE DID THE SURVEY NATIONWIDE ACROSS 50 STATES PLUS PUERTO RICO, 60% OF RESPONDERS WERE VACCINATED, BUT 40% WERE NOT VACCINATED.

AND AMONG THOSE 40%, MORE THAN HALF WERE TELLING US THAT THEY WERE NOT COMING BACK TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF FEAR OF EXPOSURE AND SO ON.

THAT WAS REALLY ONE BIG CONSIDERATION.

THE OTHER CONSIDERATION WAS THE WORK ENVIRONMENT, THEY DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY WERE REALLY VALUED, THE WORK LIFE BALANCE WAS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THEM, AND ALSO THE INCOME THAT THEY WILL RECEIVED.

>>AND THAT'S WHAT HAS GAINED A LOT OF POLITICAL ATTENTION.

SHOULD WE CONTINUE WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS THAT WE HAD DURING THE PANDEMIC, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT SAFETY NET, AND THE CONCLUSION ON THE STATE LEVEL WAS NO, WE SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE.

THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING, DOES IT?

>>NO, IT DIDN'T WORK.

IT DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE STRUCTURAL ISSUES UNDERLYING THE PROBLEM.

SO IT'S NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF PAYING PEOPLE.

THERE IS THIS PEOPLE WANTED TO BE VALUED, WANTED TO BE RESPECTED, AND WITH WORK IN A DIGNIFIED SYSTEM.

BUT ALSO WE NOTICE A CERTAIN ANGER FROM THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE THEY WERE KIND OF DISPOSED VERY QUICKLY, AT THE BEGINNING, FURLOUGHED, LAID OFF, REDUCED HOURS AND SO ON.

SO THEY FELT THAT THE INDUSTRY, THE BUSINESSES, REALLY DIDN'T CARE THAT MUCH FOR THEM, WHEN THEY NEEDED THE BUSINESS THE MOST.

SO COMING BACK A LOT HAVE MOVED ON, A LOT ARE RETHINKING, THOSE STILL WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY ARE RE-THINKING ABOUT LEAVING.

THE NUMBER THAT WE FOUND WAS REALLY HIGH, 30% ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT LEAVING THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

SO THINGS WILL BE NOT THE SAME AS BEFORE.

SO THERE NEED TO BE SOME REALLY REVISITING OF THE BUSINESS MODEL AND SOME TASKS THAT PROBABLY WILL NEVER BE DONE AGAIN BY HUMAN BEINGS.

SO PROBABLY WHAT NEED TO BE DONE IS A MOVEMENT OF THESE PEOPLE TO RETRAIN THEM TO OTHER POSITIONS IN THE FUTURE AS THE ECONOMY MOVE FORWARD.

AND THEN THE TASKS THAT REMAIN BEHIND, YOU HAVE TO ALTERNATE THESE PROCESSES, AND THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WHICH IS A VERY INTERESTING PROBLEM BECAUSE IT PUSH YOU TO BE VERY INNOVATIVE AND ORLANDO IS THE CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM RIGHT NOW.

SO IT BEHOOVES ORLANDO TO SHOW LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF INNOVATION FOR THESE TASKS.

>>ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S GET TO IT HERE.

FROM WHAT YOU'RE HEARING, DANIELLE, ARE HOSPITALITY COMPANIES CONTINUING TO EXPERIENCE THESE DIFFICULTIES IN HIRING?

IS IT STILL A THING?

>>YEAH, IT IS.

I MEAN, IT REALLY IS.

IT'S EVERYTHING HE JUST SAID, THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD SOME TIME TO RETHINK THEIR LIFE, AND THEY'RE DECIDING THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE MINIMUM WAGE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO NOT HAVE BENEFITS.

THEY WANT A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND SO A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

A LOT OF THEM ARE CHANGING THEIR INDUSTRY, OR THEY JUST, EVEN IF THEY WANT TO GO BACK, DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SUCH HIGH RISK PEOPLE FOR COVID.

AND SO SOME OF THEM HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED YET, AND THEY JUST AREN'T WILLING OR READY TO COME BACK TO WORK.

>>KATIE, ROBERTICO CROES, WHO WE JUST INTERVIEWED THERE, SAYS SMALL COMPANIES ARE MUCH MORE VULNERABLE TO STAFF SHORTAGES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY THE $15 AN HOUR OFFERED BY, LET'S SAY, DISNEY OR UNIVERSAL.

IS THIS LABOR CRUNCH LIMITED TO SMALL COMPANIES OR ARE THE BIG PLAYERS ALSO FEELING IT?

>>WELL, DISNEY AND UNIVERSAL ARE WORKING TO ATTRACT NEW EMPLOYEES TO THEIR RESORTS THROUGH COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR THE INDUSTRY.

AND THEY BOTH HAVE HOSTED JOB FAIRS IN RECENT MONTHS TO ATTRACT WORKERS TO THOSE AVAILABLE POSITIONS.

AS YOU MENTIONED, BOTH COMPANIES IMPLEMENTED A $15 STARTING MINIMUM WAGE THIS YEAR, WHICH MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE FEASIBLE FOR SMALLER HOSPITALITY COMPANIES IN THE AREA.

AND BOTH DISNEY AND UNIVERSAL ARE ADVERTISING THAT RATE IN THEIR JOB POSTINGS TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.

A DISNEY SPOKESWOMAN TOLD ME THAT DISNEY WORLD IS LOOKING TO HIRE BETWEEN 70 AND 1100 EMPLOYEES WEEKLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND OF COURSE, DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE RESORT LAID OFF OVER 18,000 WORKERS AND FURLOUGHED THOUSANDS MORE.

AND AS OF SEPTEMBER, AT LEAST MORE THAN 50,000 EMPLOYEES HAD RETURNED TO DISNEY AND THE RESORT WAS APPROACHING ITS PRE-PANDEMIC STAFFING NUMBERS.

NOW AT UNIVERSAL, PRE-PANDEMIC, THEY HAD LESS THAN HALF OF DISNEY'S WORKFORCE WITH ABOUT 27,000 EMPLOYEES.

AND UNIVERSAL HAS NOT SHARED SPECIFIC STAFFING NUMBERS WITH ME RECENTLY, BUT EARLIER THIS FALL THEY HOSTED A HIRING EVENT TO ATTRACT HUNDREDS OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE WORKERS TO START DURING THEIR POPULAR SEASONAL EVENT, HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS, WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR APPLICANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING AT THE RESORT AFTERWARD.

>>THE GOAL, THE WEEKLY NUMBER THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

KATIE, ANOTHER IMPORTANT JOB STORY THAT YOU ARE COVERING IS THE MOVE OF DISNEY'S PARKS DIVISION, INCLUDING IMAGINEERING, TO LAKE NONA FROM CALIFORNIA.

IT'S A BIG DEAL.

SO HOW IS THAT BEING RECEIVED BY STAFF?

>>YES.

IT'S A BIG SHIFT OUT OF DISNEY, CERTAINLY.

A CROSS COUNTRY MOVE IS NOTHING SMALL, BUT PEOPLE WITH CONNECTIONS IN THIS DIVISION, INCLUDING A FORMER IMAGINEER, TOLD ME MORALE IS RELATIVELY LOW AT THE DIVISION AHEAD OF THE MOVE, TALKING ABOUT IMAGINEERING SPECIFICALLY.

ESSENTIALLY DISNEY'S MOVING ITS PREMIER CREATIVE TEAM FROM THE HALLS WALT DISNEY WALKED TO NEWLY CONSTRUCTED OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO MANY FEAR AND FEEL THAT A PART OF DISNEY HISTORY COULD BE LOST IN THE PROCESS.

SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT THEY ESTIMATED DISNEY COULD LOSE POTENTIALLY A LARGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE RELOCATION TO LAKE NONA.

AND AGAIN, THAT INVOLVES AROUND 2000 WORKERS OR SO ACROSS THE PARKS, EXPERIENCES, AND PRODUCTS DIVISION.

ONE PERSON I SPOKE WITH OUTSIDE DISNEY SAID THAT 90% OF THOSE JOBS WERE IN IMAGINEERING HE HEARD, AND THAT REALLY THE ONLY PEOPLE WILLING TO RELOCATE WERE THE YOUNGER EMPLOYEES WITH FEWER CONNECTIONS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

AND A LOT OF IMAGINEERS IN PARTICULAR MIGHT BE HESITANT TO MAKE THAT CROSS COUNTRY MOVE BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A BIG CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND CENTRAL FLORIDA, AS I'M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE.

>>WELL, JUST TELL THEM IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME.

WE WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT.

SO MAYBE THEY'LL COME.

GIVEN EVERYTHING YOU JUST LAID OUT, THOSE CONCERNS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT DISNEY HAS TO GAIN HERE FROM THIS MOVE.

>>SO DISNEY IS SLATED TO RECEIVE OVER 570 MILLION IN STATE TAX BREAKS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS BECAUSE OF THE RELOCATION TO LAKE NONA.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST INCENTIVE PACKAGES IN FLORIDA HISTORY FOR A SINGLE COMPANY.

AND ONE EXPERT SAID FLORIDA IS ALSO INCREASINGLY SEEN AS A MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY STATE THAN CALIFORNIA.

AND FLORIDA'S CERTAINLY CHEAPER FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT, FROM FACTORS LIKE REAL ESTATE TO TAXES.

DISNEY COULD ALSO INVEST AS MUCH AS 864 MILLION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LAKE NONA HUB TOO.

BUT AS WE DISCUSSED, EMPLOYEES MIGHT NOT BE WILLING TO MAKE THAT CROSS COUNTRY MOVE BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A BIG CHANGE.

THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY LOSE THEIR JOBS WITH THE COMPANY.

SO DISNEY'S WORKING WITH PEOPLE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA, BUT THE MOVE ALMOST CERTAINLY MEANS THAT DISNEY WILL LOOK TO HIRE LOCAL CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, GRADUATING STUDENTS FROM THEME PARK PROGRAMS, AND A PROFESSOR FROM UCF TOLD ME THAT SHE'S HEARD FROM PEOPLE INTERNATIONALLY WHO ARE LOOKING TO MOVE TO ORLANDO TO REALLY BE WHERE THE ACTION IS IN THE THEME PARK INDUSTRY.

ORLANDO HAS REALLY BECOME THE GLOBAL CENTER OF THE THEME PARK BUSINESS.

SO ANECDOTALLY THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THESE JOBS.

>>WOW.

AND, DANIELLE, I MEAN, JUST HEARING THAT, EVERYTHING THAT SHE JUST LAID OUT IN TERMS OF THE BENEFITS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

WORTH IT?

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

>>YEAH.

YEAH.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, IT'S THE LITTLE MOUSE THAT COULD, ISN'T IT?

IT'S REALLY POWERING US THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC IN WAYS THAT NO OTHER STATE REALLY HAS, THAT KIND OF ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE WITH DISNEY AND ALL OF OUR THEME PARKS FOR SURE.

>>GOOD THING I-4 IS READY FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT'S MOVING.

>>YEAH.

KIND OF.

>>I DON'T KNOW.

>>KIND OF.

>>I KIND OF COOL SARCASM THERE.

>>DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE.

>>IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE ON I-4.

REMEMBER YOU CAN JOIN THIS CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT.

FINALLY TONIGHT, THE LEGISLATURE IS WEIGHING SOME IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, AMONG THEM A BILL TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE TOURISM AGENCY, VISIT FLORIDA.

>>AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY REMAINS COMMITTED TO STANDING UP FOR TAXPAYERS AND AGAINST WHAT WE CONSIDER CORPORATE WELFARE.

THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE TO FOCUS INSTEAD ON CORE FUNCTIONS THAT SOCIETY NEEDS TO OPERATE.

VISIT FLORIDA IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT WHAT WE SEE AS A CORE FUNCTION.

>>VISIT FLORIDA HAS JUMP STARTED FLORIDA'S TOURISM INDUSTRY AS OUR ECONOMY RECOVERS FROM THE PANDEMIC.

OUR MEMBERS OF ALL SIZES, IN MARKETS LARGE AND SMALL, HAVE BENEFITED FROM VISIT FLORIDA'S COOPERATIVE MARKETING PLATFORM.

EXTENDING THE SUNSET DATE ALLOWS VISIT FLORIDA TO REALLY DIG INTO ITS MISSION, ATTRACT TOP TALENT, AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S DIG INTO THIS, KATIE.

WHAT IS THE AGENDA OF VISIT FLORIDA AND WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CRITICISMS OF THE AGENCY IN RECENT YEARS?

AND OF COURSE, DANIELLE AND I JUST WERE TALKING ABOUT PITBULL, AND THOSE ADS.

WHO CAN FORGET?

>>YES, THE VERY CONTROVERSIAL PITBULL ADS.

SO VISIT FLORIDA'S STRATEGIC PLAN STATES THAT THE AGENCY IS WORKING TO PROMOTE FLORIDA TOURISM TO VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, AND THEREBY ENCOURAGE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO USE THE PROCEEDS FROM THAT TOURISM TO INVEST IN COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE.

AND THE RECENT BILL, AS WE JUST DISCUSSED, PROPOSING THE STATE LEGISLATURE EXTENDS THE OPERATION OF THE AGENCY FROM 2023 FISCAL YEAR TO 2031.

OFFICIALS HAVE CONTINUALLY EXTENDED VISIT FLORIDA'S OPERATIONS EVERY COUPLE YEARS, DESPITE CRITICISM LEVELED AT THE AGENCY IN THE RECENT PAST OVER IT'S SPENDING AND EFFICACY, LIKE THAT PITBULL CAMPAIGN YOU MENTIONED, AND RECENTLY LEGISLATORS IN THE SENATE'S COMMERCE AND TOURISM COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED EXTENDING VISIT FLORIDA'S OPERATIONS AND THE BILL IS NOW IN THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FOR IT'S NEXT STAGE OF REVIEW.

>>ALL RIGHT.

DANIELLE, CRITICS SAY VISIT FLORIDA AMOUNTS TO CORPORATE WELFARE, BUT THE AGENCY SAYS IT'S A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS REQUIRED TO MATCH PUBLIC FUNDING DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.

SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS.

LET'S SIMPLIFY THAT PROCESS.

>>YEAH.

IT'S BASICALLY KIND OF WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO JUST NOW, THAT TAXPAYER MONEY GOES TO THIS ORGANIZATION.

THEY DO ALL THE MARKETING, THEY SELL THE STATE TO PEOPLE FROM WHERE I'M FROM, IN MICHIGAN AND THE MIDWEST AND IN CANADA.

AND THE IDEA IS EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE GIVE THEM, THEY GIVE US BACK IN TOURISM MONEY, IN VISITORS THAT COME TO THIS STATE.

BUT I THINK THE ARGUMENT IS, NUMBER ONE, HOW ARE THEY USING THAT MONEY, I.E, THE PITBULL COMMERCIALS?

AND ALSO DO WE REALLY NEED TO SELL A STATE AS BEAUTIFUL AS FLORIDA, WITH ALL THE DRAWS THAT IT HAS FROM THE WEATHER TO THE THEME PARKS TO OTHER TOURIST DESTINATIONS?

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE LEGISLATURE IS KIND OF FOR OR AGAINST VISIT FLORIDA, AS WE KIND OF MOVE TOWARD 2023-ISH, WHICH IS KIND OF THE DATE THAT THEY'VE SAID MAYBE THAT'LL BE WHEN THE SPENDING WILL END FOR THIS GROUP.

>>AND ANOTHER THING ON THE TABLE IS THE VACCINE PASSPORTS AS WELL.

>>RIGHT.

>>THAT ROLLS INTO ALL OF THIS.

>>IT DOES.

>>IN THIS NEW WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.

>>IT DOES.

AND AS WE KNOW HERE IN FLORIDA, OUR GOVERNOR IS VERY MUCH AGAINST VACCINE PASSPORTS.

AND SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO KIND OF SEE HOW DIFFERENT TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY OUTLETS DEAL WITH THAT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

>>AL LOT FOR ALL OF US TO COVER, IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY.

REMEMBER YOU CAN FIND LINKS TO SENATE BILL 434 ON FLORIDA TOURISM MARKETING ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DANIELLE PRIEUR OF 90.7 WMFE AND KATIE RICE OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEKEND.