Hurricane’s hit on City’s $3B Tourism Trade reveals Soaring cost of Climate Change

Now that the destruction is fully revealed, it’s clear Hurricane Milton has dealt a devastating blow to Asheville, N.C., virtually destroying its $3 billion tourism industry, which accounts for 25% of the city’s income. The calamity, which also led to many deaths, is expected to have widespread effects on the local economy, leading to business failures, relocations and a significant drop in property values, and the long-term recovery may take decades. Fort Myers, Fla., provides a grim example, having faced two hurricanes that crippled its tourism-dependent economy. .