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Tourism leaders getting creative during red tide

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As beaches remain closed throughout much of Palm Beach County tourism leaders are getting creative.

At Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. It's not unusual to find curator-director of the garden Rochelle Wolberg out and about greeting guests.

"We like to kind of showcase what is possible," she said.

This week they've done just that with an increase in visitors they weren't quite expecting.

"I'm out here because I can't be at the beach," one visitor said.

With beaches closed in most of Palm Beach County, the tourism development council is working to keep people in the area.

"Beyond the beaches is really what we are talking about," Glenn Jergensen said. 

Jergensen, Executive Director of the Tourism Development Council says right now educating tourists on the activity options is crucial. 

In the first half of 2018, the county saw record-breaking numbers in hotel sales. They're trying to keep that going.

"We certainly want to make sure these folks still consider us as the destination to come to," he said.

But Alissa Rothermick who lives in Jupiter says the unexpected beach closure will impact her family's visit.

"They just hear the headline that beach is closed and they're disappointed," she said. 

Rothermick says going to the beach is one of their favorite activities. With visitors coming in Thursday from Minnesota she says they will still make sure to enjoy the Florida sunshine. 

"We'll take them to the pool, We'll spend a lot of time outside, but it just won't be on the beach," she said.