Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 12, 2016

Visitors keep flocking to the Sunshine State. State tourism officials announced Friday 57.4 million people traveled to Florida in the first half of the year. The number marks a 4.3 percent increase from the first six months of 2015. “It’s exciting to have a record tourism number,” said Gov. Rick Scott during an event at the […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerJuly 12, 2016

After getting rebuffed in another attempt to secure state incentive money for improvements at its historic track, the Daytona International Speedway has signed on two new lobbying teams with the start of another state fiscal year. The speedway has hired Johnson & Blanton and Southern Strategy Group to represent its interests in Tallahassee. The speedway, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 1, 2016

Enterprise Florida board members approved a plan to slash spending and restructure the state’s public-private economic development agency. The EFI board of directors voted overwhelmingly to approve recommendations to cut about $6 million. The board approved about a dozen recommendations, including closing offices, ending contracts and eliminating 26 positions. Eliminating the positions will save the […]

Mitch PerryJune 30, 2016

Britain is the No. 2 source market for international visitors to Florida, which is why Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine says the effects from last week’s “Brexit” vote will leave its mark on the Sunshine State. Several economists say the U.S. economy will likely take a modest hit from the U.K.’s vote last week to leave the […]

Jim RosicaJune 16, 2016

The head of the state’s tourism agency announced a “dining out” fundraiser next Thursday, June 30, for the OneOrlando Fund. Will Seccombe, president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, Thursday posted on the agency’s official blog, “Sunshine Matters.” The fundraiser, co-sponsored by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, “will be a day for Florida restaurants, their employees and guests […]

Gary FineoutJune 4, 2016

State officials have given a good review of Florida’s tourism marketing agency and a second outfit that promotes the aerospace industry. Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year called for the reviews of both Visit Florida and Space Florida. Scott ordered the review of Visit Florida after the Orlando Sentinel reported taxpayers paid thousands of dollars […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 16, 2016

Millions of people traveled to the Sunshine State in the first three months of 2016, according to first-quarter tourism estimates released Monday. Approximately 29.8 million tourists came to Florida in the first quarter. That’s up 6.6 percent from the same three-month period in 2015. “I’m thrilled that Florida continues to break records in the amount […]

Ryan RayMarch 30, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered examinations into Visit Florida and Space Florida, two high-profile public-private partnerships with the state government, according to the Orlando Sentinel’s Gray Rohrer. The purpose of the reviews is to determine the level of return on investment Florida taxpayers get in exchange for funding projects through the entities, which don’t have the same broad […]

Ryan RayMarch 4, 2016

Legislative budget writers met Friday evening to take up another pair of unreconciled budget areas – Transportation & Economic Development and Civil & Criminal Justice – and came to a final agreement, closing out millions in funding items in a multibillion dollar move when the House and Senate accepted each others’ offers. Among the most […]

Associated PressFebruary 18, 2016

The number of tourists flocking to Florida keeps growing to record numbers. And this time it’s a big one. Gov. Rick Scott will announce Thursday during a visit to Disney World that 105 million tourists made their way to Florida last year. That’s according to preliminary estimates prepared by Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing […]

Tag: Visit Florida

Florida on track to see 115 million visitors in 2016

Daytona International Speedway revs up lobbying efforts by hiring Johnson & Blanton, SSG

Enterprise Florida board approves staff cuts, cost reductions

Philip Levine predicts ‘Brexit’ will adversely affect Florida’s tourism industry

VISIT FLORIDA wants you to dine out for Orlando

Review says it’s mostly sunny for state tourism agency, Visit Florida

Nearly 30 million people visited Florida in first three months of 2016

Rick Scott orders probes into Visit Florida, Space Florida

Budget writers close out TED, justice budget silos

Sun, sand & theme parks bring record number of tourists