RSW seeing a record number of travelers

Reporter: Gail Levy Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published:
Flight board at RSW.

A record number of tourists are flying into Southwest Florida. RSW’s numbers are way up by more than 55% since this time last year.

The surge seems unstoppable. Especially now in the middle of spring break. I talked to folks here and the chairman of the port authority. One thing’s clear people love coming to Southwest Florida.

“I believe it because it just took me 20 minutes to find a parking space,” said Robert McDonnell of Naples.

It is not what Robert McDonnell of Naples is used to. “I’d like to see it thin out,” said McDonnell.

Even Robert and Susan Cullen from Connecticut see the difference. “If you’re going to ask me about the traveling, it’s awful. Unbelievable. It’s nuts.”

When you compare February 2022 to February 2021, more than 1.1 million people traveled through RSW.

WINK News asked the chairman of the Lee County Port Authority, Cecil Pendergrass, why there were so many people. “We’re number one in the nation for recovery after COVID and I think it’s largely a part of our local environment in the friendliness of our community but it’s also because we kept the county open,” said Pendergrass.

When asked if it will slow down, “Not right now unless something happened at the national stage, I think basically everybody wants to come here for the 3W’s. Warmth, Weather, and Way of life,” said Pendergrass.

One thing is for certain, the sun and the sand and the surf are never going away.

“I think it’s fantastic. Everybody’s getting back to normal, kids are going on spring break again, doing what they’re supposed to do. Everybody’s traveling again,” said Michelle Gettinger and Kit Nowicki from St. Louis.

Come Monday, the first nonstop flight from Germany will arrive, paving the way for more international travelers to come our way.

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