Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Ready to Welcome Visitors

PUNTA GORDA-ENGLEWOOD BEACH, Fla., Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, the beautiful but lesser known destination of Florida's Southwest Gulf Coast between Sarasota and Fort Myers, has announced the majority of mainland area accommodations and attractions have reopened following the effects of Hurricane Irma.

The Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau is grateful to have experienced minimal business interruption and damage, and while more impactful for others in the state, has reported a generally swift return to business and recovery.

Allegiant Airlines flights resumed normal operations at the Punta Gorda Airport September 13.

Fishermen's Village Mall and Marina reopened September 14, along with the Port Charlotte Town Center and most retail businesses earlier last week. A majority of Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach area restaurants have reopened as well, with residents and guests already returning.

Minimal damage to the barrier islands, including Manasota Key, Little Gasparilla, Knight Island (Palm Island Resort) and Don Pedro Island, has been reported and rapid restoration is anticipated. The islands temporarily lacked electricity, but earlier this week all had power restored.

While touched by Hurricane Irma, the pristine, natural beauty of the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach destination has been spared. The beautiful beaches remain intact and welcome visitors with a lifetime of vacation memories to be made.

"We are very fortunate to be welcoming visitors shortly after the storm has passed," said Lorah Steiner, Director of Tourism for the Charlotte County VCB.  "Punta Gorda and Englewood Beach continue to welcome visitors with excellent outdoor recreation, relaxation, beautiful beaches and breathtaking sunsets along Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast."

For those planning to visit, post-Irma status updates can be found at pureflorida.com/hurricane.

ABOUT PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast, Punta Gorda /Englewood Beach is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state's second largest harbor. Florida's premier year-round eco-tourism destination, the area offers a pristine unspoiled beauty. In 2014, Port Charlotte was named the top "U.S. Best Value Destination" by Trivago (the world's largest online hotel search site), and the Charlotte Sports Park, spring training home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was voted "Best Spring Training Facility" by readers of USA TODAY. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Punta Gorda / Englewood Beach has been named one of SAIL magazine's "10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States," ranked by Golf Digest as "Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America," and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the "Best Places to Live in the South." Englewood was named second of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com. The area is served by five airports: The Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) with private and charter air service, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Southwest Florida International Airport, Ft. Myers, (RSW), St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and Tampa International Airport (TPA). For more information on visiting Punta Gorda / Englewood Beach visit http://PureFlorida.com or call1-800-652-6090.

SOURCE Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau