After major hurricanes, Clearwater Beach is back open for business…mostly

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A busy storm season left many Pinellas County beaches wrecked, but Clearwater’s mayor says theirs are in good shape.  Officials pled for tourists who might be second-guessing their beach vacations to come back.

A small amount of people enjoyed another beautiful sunny and breezy day at Clearwater Beach. 

And despite power outages and ongoing debris cleanup, Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector encouraged more people to visit.

“Whether you’re coming in from Tampa Bay or you’re coming in from anywhere around the country, you’re going to have the same, to similar, fantastic experience staying on Clearwater Beach that you’ve already had,” Rector said.

But now the Tampa Bay region faces a threat of red tide – something the back-to-back storms may have fueled. 

While Clearwater mayor Bruce Rector wants to see visitors return, he’s urging caution. 

“If you’ve been here for any length of time, you understand that things get mixed around in the water during a storm, and just to use good judgment about getting in the water,” Rector said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found high concentrations of red tide  offshore Pinellas, but closer to shore, the beaches were free of red tide. 

Data released Friday also showed medium concentrations near Sarasota and Manatee counties. 

Commissioner Brian Scott says tourism is a top driver of the economy in Pinellas. He says the storm’s impacts extend to service workers.

“They’re hurting right now. They need visitors, they need to get back to work. We need to get those folks back to work. So, we need visitors to do that.” Scott said.

Since Milton, officials say about 80 percent of hotels and restaurants are back in business.

However, many of the hotels now house displaced residents and recovery response workers.

To report storm damage, click here.