Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 17, 2018

Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long told a panel of environmental scientists and Gulf Coast business leaders Wednesday efforts to mitigate red tide are in full swing and will continue as long as the massive algae bloom threatens Florida beaches, fisheries and recreation. Pinellas County has 13 boats collecting dead fish and conducting monitoring activities in […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 12, 2018

Some 65.5 million visitors came to Florida during the first six months of the year, setting a record for the state’s tourism industry. The numbers represent a 5.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year, Gov. Rick Scott said in a written statement released by his office. They included 58 million domestic visitors, […]

Danny McAuliffeAugust 13, 2018

Florida is now in a state of emergency over the impacts of red tide, a colloquialism used to describe the harmful algal blooms plaguing Florida’s Gulf Coast. Gov. Rick Scott issued the executive order declaring the state of emergency on Monday. “As Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area continues to feel the devastating impacts of […]

Scott PowersJuly 25, 2018

Meeting with state film industry leaders in Orlando Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine renewed his call for a determined push to bring the movie business back to Florida, using it as an example of 21st-century enterprises Florida is rebuffing. “What’s amazing to me: this is low-hanging fruit,” the former Miami Beach mayor said. “This […]

Scott PowersMay 9, 2018

Airbnb and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló jointly announced new partnership initiatives Wednesday for the vacation rental-home marketing giant to promote tourism returning to the island. The initiatives will include promotions of Puerto Rico through Airbnb, the launch of an “Experiences” program, essentially private package tours to what Airbnb calls authentic Puerto Rican activities, and […]

Danny McAuliffeApril 23, 2018

State-backed tourism campaigns are producing a healthy return on investment. Numbers released Monday from VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s public-private marketing agency, indicate that more Canadians are choosing to retreat to the Sunshine State for vacation stays. The uptick follows increased marketing efforts in the United States’ neighbor to the north. Overall visitation saw an increase […]

Guest AuthorDecember 15, 2017

Travel and tourism have long served as the backbone of Florida’s economy, which is now the 18th largest in the world. Here in Pensacola, we’re proud that our city has emerged as a driving force of this growth industry. In just the past year, the Pensacola region welcomed 2.7 million visitors who have invested $787 […]

Ana CeballosNovember 20, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday a state tourism record, attributing it in part to the “aggressive marketing efforts” of VISIT FLORIDA, which has been entangled in a political fight for its existence, largely funded by taxpayers. Scott said the state welcomed 88.2 million tourists in the first nine months of the year, which is a […]

Peter SchorschNovember 15, 2017

There’s nothing more aggravating than seeing the Legislature finally do the right thing, only to see local authorities attempt to undermine that progress. Take, for instance, the maddening example of Florida airports and the extra fees they tack on when travelers try to leave the airport property. Since the Legislature passed uniform regulations for ridesharing […]

Terry RoenNovember 1, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott announced the kick-off Wednesday of a new discount program to lure Canadian visitors back to Florida. The Canadian Power Play Program makes it more affordable for Canadian families to travel to the state through travel deals from Visit Florida partners offering 20 percent discounts at Florida hotels, attractions and car rentals. Canada […]

Tag: tourism

Pinellas Co. cleanup nets nearly 1K tons of red tide debris

Tourism update: Florida sets another record in attracting visitors

Red tide prompts state of emergency

Philip Levine: Quest for film business is part of 21st-century economy

Airbnb, Puerto Rico, announce partnership initiatives to foster tourism

Big in Canada: VISIT FLORIDA efforts correlate with increased visitation

Ashton Hayward: Residents, tourists alike can benefit from sharing economy

Visit Florida reports record nine-month tourism numbers

Ridesharing legislation is bringing us to the future, so why are airports still stuck in the past?

Rick Scott launches travel deals for Canadians