Tampa International Airport Sees Uptick In Travel

Author Roxanne Wilder

June 15th, 2020 7:28 AM

It may not be happening at warp speed, but there are an increasing number of travelers coming through Tampa International Airport.

TPA’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Chris Minner, said that they see growth trending in the same direction as the country as a whole.

Two important barometers are number of flights and number of passengers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines cancelled certain flights. Now TPA is seeing some of those airlines adding some new routes. Also, there has been an uptick in daily passenger count.

There is still a ways to go, but the upward trend is promising.

For more on this story, click here.

If you are coming to visit Tampa and Busch Gardens is on your list of places to visit, here are the

8 Most Asked Questions about the Busch Gardens Reopening Plan

Many things will look different since your last visit to the park. Before you jump in the car and head to Tampa to ride Iron Gwazi, here are a few things you should know.

• Will all rides be open?

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  Some rides may have limited availability. They say they will be keeping visitors updated on the Busch Gardens web site on any changes.

• Do I have to wear a face mask?

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  Yes. Unless you are an elephant. Face masks are required for visitors 2 and older unless they are eating or drinking. There are also areas of the park set aside to relax without a mask on. Guests without a mask can purchase one at the park.

• Are all the animal exhibits open?

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  They're all ready to see you. All exhibits are open. But there may be a line to see them and they'll need to keep those in line separated.
• Can I just show up and visit?

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  No. You'll need to schedule your visit in advance. Reservations at the start will be mandatory. Keep in mind the park will be open only 5 days a week until September.

• Will there be a wait to get in?

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  Given the social distancing guidelines, it will probably look like getting in will take longer since people will have to be separated. It will likely take longer than usual during peak entry times because of the temperature and mask checks.

• Will they check my temperature?

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  Yes. If employees or guests have a fever, they will be denied entry. We do not wanna give those penguins the flu! Florida is hot enough already for them.
• Can I pay with cash?

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  Cash will be accepted, but they do ask that guests use contactless payment methods as much as they can.

• Is Iron Gwazi ready to ride?

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  "Coming soon" is the official word. Test runs were being done before the park closed in March so the wait shouldn't be long now. Roller coaster enthusiasts around the world have their eyes on Tampa for an announcement. The challenge will most certainly be keeping people separated so it seems unlikely to me the ride will be open at first.

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Author Roxanne Wilder

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• Roxanne Wilder