“Newly proposed legislation in the Florida House of Representatives is the biggest attack on the Florida tourism industry ever proposed. This legislation would effectively destroy Visit Florida by gutting its functions and funding leaving Florida at a global competitive disadvantage when it comes to promoting the state as a tourist destination. It also strikes at local tourism promotion by sweeping local Tourist Development Taxes to Tallahassee and requiring that those taxes be reauthorized by referendum every six years putting any organization that relies on those funds in jeopardy.
Tourism is the lifeblood of Florida’s economy and employs more than 1.7 million Floridians. Visitors generate almost 30 percent of our state’s tax revenues. Residents do not have to pay a state income tax and save $1,500 annually in state and local taxes thanks to the revenue generated by tourism. Florida relies on a strong tourism industry and we need state and local tourism promotion to maintain all the benefits tourism provides the state and its residents.
Already California, Las Vegas, Chicago and New York each have larger budgets than Visit Florida. With our national economy slowing and increasing competition from destinations such as Mexico, the Caribbean and other destinations around the world, this is the wrong time to cripple the ability of our state and our local communities to attract visitors.”
Destinations Florida is the statewide association that serves local tourism promotion organizations. It serves as the unifying voice representing Florida’s destination marketing organizations and strives to increase the effectiveness of local tourism promotion organizations’ efforts.
