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Staff ReportsApril 2, 2018

R. Scott Shalley, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, has been selected to join the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors effective immediately, the group announced Monday. “I’m honored to join the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, and I want to thank Chair Maryann Frenec and the rest of the board members for this opportunity,” Shalley […]

Staff ReportsMarch 20, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott vowed to ensure tourism stayed vibrant even after Hurricane Irma wreaked its havoc, and the numbers released Tuesday in Naples show that he pulled it off. The 116.5 million visitors, per VISIT FLORIDA, mark a 3.6 percent increase over the 112.4 million visitors in 2016. This was despite a loss of 1.8 million visitors […]

Danny McAuliffeMarch 1, 2018

The House and Senate in negotiations have seemingly agreed on funding for job and tourism incentives — but still are significantly apart on spends for hurricane-related affordable housing programs that are now expected to be ironed out by budget chairs Rep. Carlos Trujillo and Sen. Rob Bradley. A recent Senate offer in the Transportation, Tourism, […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 12, 2018

Vacation rental business Airbnb collected and remitted $45.7 million in tax revenue for Florida and local governments across the Sunshine State last year, more than double what it collected in 2016. “In 2015, Airbnb collaborated with the Florida Department of Revenue on a historic agreement allowing the company to collect and remit the state sales […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 6, 2018

The Florida Senate proposes cutting the Visit Florida budget to $50 million, which is $26 million below the current level. Gov. Rick Scott wants $100 million. He addressed this discrepancy in a gaggle Tuesday in Jacksonville. “Visit Florida’s very important to the state,” Scott said in a gaggle that covered similar lines. “1.4 million jobs are tied […]

Jim RosicaDecember 26, 2017

Spoiler alert: If you’re a regular of this site, and reading this story, you can guess what the #1 pick is. Otherwise, 2017 still offered a bounty of material to Tallahassee’s reporting ranks. We still chuckle at the uninitiated who ask, “What do you write about when the Legislature isn’t in session?” Without further ado, […]

Peter SchorschNovember 29, 2017

A new poll released Tuesday found a majority of Floridians support the use of state money to lure jobs to the Sunshine State and also showed significant shifts in attitudes about the Florida budget, taxation and the quality of government services. The USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey found 58 percent of Floridians support business incentives while […]

Scott PowersNovember 7, 2017

Orange County and Visit Orlando are working on new rules to open the convention and visitors bureau’s business to more public scrutiny, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs told Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran in a letter sent Monday. “We believe that the additional transparency measures we plan to implement will greatly enhance the transparency and […]

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 […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 26, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran has opened the next front in his personal war for transparency, moving legislation that would bar companies seeking to do business with the state from hiding information behind claims of “trade secrets.” A pair of bills (HB 459, HB 461) was filed Thursday by Rep. Ralph Massullo, a Republican representing Citrus and […]

Tag: Visit Florida
Melania and Donald Trump with Pope Francis. Image via AP.

Personnel note: Scott Shalley joins VISIT FLORIDA board

Despite Irma, Florida sets another tourism record

Affordable housing issues likely headed to budget chairs

Airbnb collected $45M in Florida tax revenue in 2017

Rick Scott hammers proposed Visit Florida budget cuts

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories of 2017

Floridians back business incentives, split on how state should tackle 2018 budget

Teresa Jacobs tells Richard Corcoran Orange County, Visit Orlando working on transparency

Rick Scott launches travel deals for Canadians

House wants to clamp down on ‘trade secrets’