I-Drive businesses see signs of hope with more holiday visitors

Back in April, International Drive (I-Drive) was a ghost town. Quiet streets, empty rides, and closed restaurants were the norm. But now? Things are looking up in the tourism district as more people head to Orlando for the holidays.

"A lot of people from out of the state, out of the country," said Orlando resident Minda Butler. "I’m actually kind of surprised with how crowded it is with COVID going on."

"We’ve seen a pretty robust last two weeks as we got around the Christmas holiday," said Thomas Kerr, the owner of Icebar Orlando.

On Tuesday night, people streamed into the Icebar.

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‘I’ve been very grateful because things looked pretty bleak," Kerr told FOX 35. "August, I was very concerned. I see the light at the end of the tunnel now."

Some restaurant managers on I-Drive say these are the biggest crowds they have had since the pandemic began but things still aren’t back to normal.

According to Visit Orlando, holiday hotel bookings are down in the City Beautiful about 51 percent compared to the same time last year. Gratefully, the organization says every visit counts though.

"Normally its about 80 percent tourist, 20 percent local. Were more about 50-50 these days," Kerr said.

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He expects those numbers to change again in 2021 as more visitors return, especially for events at the Orange County Convention Center.

Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.