‘If I get Corona, I get Corona’: COVID-19 protocols and beach tourism in Pinellas County, Florida

ABSTRACT When COVID-19 emerged in January of 2020, few anticipated the duration and global reach of this disaster event. This paper reports on the ethnographic findings of Rob Porter who found himself ‘locked down’ in Pinellas County, Florida at the beginning of the pandemic. Using ethnographic research methods including participant observation, interviews, and photography this essay reports on the changing nature of the tourism industry; supply chain challenges and substitutions; public health mandates; and political messaging. All of these variables significantly influenced the health and sustainability of the tourism industry in Pinellas County. Finally, we explore the need for adaptation in the industry so that it can weather future disaster events.