Florida, Southeast are Back in Business

While the Florida Keys are likely to remain closed for several weeks as local officials, residents and business owners work to clean up the damage left behind by Hurricane Irma, a majority of major destinations across the Southeast are open for business.

According to The Washington Post, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Miami and Orlando's beloved Walt Disney World theme parks are either fully operational or at least partially up and running this week.

On Tuesday, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the South Florida hot spot was ready to host visitors.

"The storm was bigger than ever imagined and very concerning for our visitors and 1.9 million residents. Broward County was well prepared with emergency services, and cleanup activities are taking place throughout the area," said the CVB's President and CEO, Stacy Ritter, in a statement. 

"The high-code standards of our many new buildings showed that good construction pays off. We expect to be back to normal operations and welcoming vacationers and scheduled meetings and conference attendees shortly."

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades have resumed operations and the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is fully operational.

Officials in Fort Lauderdale also confirmed that hotels along the coastline reported no damage from Irma. Some remained open throughout the storm and others are in the process of reopening by the end of the weekend as power is restored across the region.

South of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Florida is also quickly rebounding from Irma.

The Diplomat Beach Resort announced Wednesday that limited service operations would be restored by Friday and that it will be fully operational by the weekend.

"Early reports indicate that many businesses in the Hollywood area will be up and running by tomorrow [Thursday]. The hotel is happy to share that Gulfstream and Aventura Mall are accessible and select stores are already open for business," the resort said on Wednesday. 

"Both Miami International and Fort Lauderdale International airports are open and every day will add more flights to help visitors get to this great city. Cruise passengers are arriving and departing out of both Ports and local buses are operating as of Wednesday."

READ MORE: Full Caribbean Tourism and Infrastructure Recovery Report

Outside of Jacksonville near the Florida-Georgia border, Amelia Island officials confirmed the area sustained only minor damage last weekend.

The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau said hotels are recovering rapidly with many already open or scheduled to reopen Friday. Power has been restored to the island and roads have been cleared.

"We were extremely fortunate. Our hospitality partners have been working feverishly to open their doors for locals, visitors, emergency workers, evacuees and other displaced by the storm," Gil Langley, President and CEO of the Amelia Island CVB, said in a statement.

Farther north, tourist havens in Georgia and South Carolina, including Savannah and Charleston, are also ready to greet visitors. 

As you can see, SAV is back up & running! We're open for business w/ a great weather forecast. Plan your trip: https://t.co/XGrt62G6K7 pic.twitter.com/QytikSV9eY

— Visit Savannah (@VisitSavannah) September 13, 2017

We are thankful to report the #CHS area sustained minimal damage & is welcoming diners back for #CHSRestaurantWeek! https://t.co/ZNYSsPKwXk pic.twitter.com/UbSKXDnIGO

— GCRA, Inc. (@ChasRestaurants) September 12, 2017

Happy to report that the coast is clear & we look forward to welcoming guests back this Friday. #kiawahresort pic.twitter.com/QrBGh9942K

— Kiawah Island Resort (@kiawahresort) September 13, 2017

While recovery and rebuilding efforts across the Caribbean, Florida and other parts of the Southeast are likely to continue for some time, travelers can do their part to help aid and speed up the process by planning a trip to one of the many operative destinations.

Follow @_Pat_Clarke