Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorJune 6, 2017

Under the leadership of Gov. Rick Scott, the revival of the Florida economy has been marked by annual job growth and tourism rates that outpace the national average. The inextricable link between Florida’s investment in its tourism industry and this economic recovery is affirmed by the statistics. Visitor spending in Florida has increased by an […]

Guest AuthorJune 5, 2017

The Florida House of Representatives has recently espoused a philosophy of not “picking winners and losers,” but House Bill 1A does just that. As I watched Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron, and Speaker Richard Corcoran announce their plans for a special session to discuss tourism funding, I felt hopeful for the fate of […]

Jim RosicaJune 5, 2017

The state’s anti-gambling expansion group is pushing back against comments that it’s “misinformed” about casino gambling not being a “meaningful attraction for Florida tourism.” Steven Norton, a longtime gambling executive and consultant, linked to Nick Sortal‘s Friday column for the Miami Herald in Norton’s Monday email roundup of the gambling scene in the South. “As I survey the scene […]

Guest AuthorMay 25, 2017

Last week, Gov. Rick Scott announced record-breaking tourism numbers in the Sunshine State. It may be the last time for a while. Ignoring extensive research, case studies and pleas from travel industry constituents across the state, the Florida Legislature slashed funding for VISIT Florida by a crippling 67 percent — recklessly jeopardizing the tourism industry’s […]

Staff ReportsMay 15, 2017

A record number of tourists — 31.1 million visitors — came to Florida during the first three months of 2017, a 2.5 percent increase over the same period in 2016. Gov. Rick Scott released the latest numbers Monday at Miami’s Jungle Island. Nearly 113 million tourists — most of them from the United States — […]

Jim RosicaApril 29, 2017

While Senate and House negotiators made progress on many tourism, transportations and economic development budgetary issues Saturday, a slew of line items will be “bumped” up to Appropriations Chairs Jack Latvala and Carlos Trujillo. Most notable was a bump of proviso language on an audit of Tampa International Airport’s master renovation plan. State Sen. Tom Lee, a […]

Jim RosicaApril 29, 2017

Don’t expect any movement in the budgets for Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA at the conference committee level. “I’m authorized to negotiate quite a few things in this budget and there’s a few things I’m not, and those would be among the things I’m not,” said Sen. Jeff Brandes, the St. Petersburg Republican chairing the […]

Joe HendersonApril 20, 2017

The damage wrought by state Sen. Frank Artiles’ racist rant has ripples that extend far beyond the seats of power in Tallahassee. All it took to confirm that was to type his “Senator Frank Artiles” into Google. Within seconds, a collection of stories popped up that confirms how much impact the bile from his bigoted […]

Florence SnyderMarch 27, 2017

If there’s one thing a $113,000 a year Florida tourism executive urgently needs, it’s a $26,000 raise. Otherwise, says the Brevard County Director Compensation and Job Performance Committee, its Office of Tourism Executive Director Eric Garvey might leave the Space Coast — where the median household income is $48,483 — for greener Florida tourism pastures, […]

Guest AuthorMarch 16, 2017

Thanks to the efforts of Governor Rick Scott and the state’s committed business leaders, Florida has one of the strongest economies in the country. With our unemployment rate under 5 percent, Florida continues to exceed the nation’s annual job growth rate and tourism, one of the state’s economic drivers remains strong, with just under 113 […]

Tag: tourism

Pat Neal: Look to Colorado — cutting VISIT Florida funding would be disastrous

Steve Hayes: Tourism industry in jeopardy with House Bill 1A

No Casinos responds to criticism it’s ‘misinformed’ about casino gambling

Gil Langley: Post-Session reflection on tourism marketing

Rick Scott announces record tourism numbers, criticizes marketing budget cut

Proviso language on Tampa airport audit ‘bumped’ to budget chairs

Top line tourism, economic development money closed out, chair says

Joe Henderson: What damage could follow as Frank Artiles’ rant reverberates around the globe?

Florence Snyder: VISIT clueless tourism officials in Brevard County

Pat Neal: Prosperity for our families and future