(Tallahassee, Fla.) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is thrilled with the Governor’s announcement today that Florida, once again, welcomed a record number of tourists with 112.8 million visitors to the state in 2016. For fourth quarter 2016, estimates show a record 27.6 million people visited the Sunshine State. This represents the largest fourth quarter visitation number Florida has ever seen and reflects an increase of 6.1 percent over the same period in 2015.
“Florida’s hospitality industry is delighted with Governor Rick Scott’s announcement today proclaiming 112.8 million visitors in 2016. Six years of consecutive, record-breaking visitation growth are a result of VISIT FLORIDA’s efforts. These numbers clearly demonstrate the power of tourism marketing and it’s essential that our lawmakers continue to invest in the state’s number one industry. Not only do our hotels and restaurants rely on tourist spending to support their employees, the overall health of Florida’s economy depends on visitors selecting the Sunshine State as their leading destination,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the FRLA.
Across the state, the FRLA represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, including hotels, restaurants, theme parks and attractions.