Website educates residents about tourism’s lesser-known
impacts on education, infrastructure, public safety and more
Did you know: Tourism-related tax revenue and visitor spending helps fund various components of K-12 public schools, road and highway maintenance and beach beautification, as well as other programs developments which enhance citizens’ way of life. The tourism industry provides the county with nearly $800 million in direct visitor spending and employs more than 22,300 Escambia County citizens, supplying a wide range of benefits to residents and the community.
Jason Nicholson, a veteran of the tourism industry with over 30 years of experience, Chairman of Visit Pensacola and Vice President of Operations of Innisfree Hotels expressed just how vital the tourism industry is to our community.
“Forty-six percent of all ad valorem taxes (property taxes) paid in Escambia County are paid by accommodation providers which include hotels, condominiums, bed and breakfasts or home rental,” Nicholson explained. “Because of those guests coming into our accommodations, we get to employ 17 percent of Escambia County’s workforce which equates to over $380 million in payroll. In a beautiful cycle, that revenue is seen in the smiles of our employees when they provide for their family, in the city’s infrastructure and so much more.”
These revenues, generated by visitor spending, provide critical revenue for programs on which all Escambia County residents rely and enjoy. The return on investment is clear: as the Pensacola Bay Area continues to welcome record numbers of guests, everyone benefits.
“For every $1 spent marketing the Pensacola Bay Area, the hospitality industry returns $3 in taxes and local businesses gain $107,” President of Visit Pensacola Steve Hayes said. “The restaurants, shops, nightlife and attractions we love are here for our enjoyment because of our guests. They are the ones who cause multiple new businesses to open every year, ultimately making Pensacola a better place to live, work and play.”
To further enhance residents’ understanding of tourism’s impact on their day-to-day lives, the Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (FADMO), the voice for Florida’s county tourism promotion agencies, in partnership with Visit Pensacola, the destination marketing organization for the Pensacola Bay Area, today announced the launch of a new education campaign, “Pensacola Tourism Works for Me.”
The campaign, created and paid for by FADMO, helps promote awareness of tourism’s positive impact on Floridians, and details the work county tourism promotion agencies must do to attract visitors to their communities rather than competing destinations worldwide.
To learn more, visit pensacolatourismworks.com.
