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'Hurricane Bonnie' plays havoc

As winds tearing at 75 miles per hour lashed at rooftops and waves clawed at beaches across North Carolina, Virginia and Florida all of last week and thousands of people were evacuated from their homes, business people were not only worried about the damage to their properties but to tourism which brings in millions of dollars every year to the region.

All through the week when 'Hurricane Bonnie' created major dislocation, hotel and motel owners were among the first to feel the impact. Early estimates have it that tourism lost over $ 50 million.

Indian hotel and motel owners who operate about 40 per cent of the economy motels and hotels in the region could have easily lost about $ 5 million. Though just one person died the damage to property and loss of productivity exceed $ 2 billion, estimates say.

Last month motel owners lost huge amount of money when fires ravaged hundreds of miles of Florida for over three weeks. Indian moteliers have incurred losses of over $ 3 million.

''For many of us who run small businesses it will take over a year or two to get over the negative impact of the fires and storms,'' says North Carolina motel owner Hasmukh Patel.

Though the families fleeing into the interiors mostly stayed in motels, they did not boost the revenues substantially, he pointed out.

''Many of our motel owners joined hands with Red Cross and other relief agencies and took in many poor income families free,'' he says.

But now that 'Hurricane Bonnie' has been tamed, businesses are looking for upturn in business. Just about two weeks are left for schools and colleges to open, and business leaders feel that everything is not lost.

Each county in this region, whose prosperity depends on sunny skies and gentle waves, stood to lose more millions if 'Bonnie's' speed and fury had not ebbed.

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