This week, Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 18-221, declaring a state of emergency in Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties due to the impact of red tide. Although red tide is a naturally-occurring event, the impact can still be significant for businesses along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association wants to ensure our members have access to all the information and resources necessary to help you navigate this emergency effectively.

First, we encourage all members who are affected by the red tide to complete the Florida Department of Emergency Management’s Damage Assessment survey. You can find the survey here. Be sure to select “red tide” as the event. Information gathered will help the government develop the best strategy to help businesses recover during and after this event. Your input is invaluable.

Second, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is providing bridge loans and increasing their presence in South Florida. These interest-free loans, from $1,000 to $50,000, are available to small business owners with 2-100 employees who have suffered physical or economic damage as a result of the red tide.

The Governor’s emergency declaration includes funding for tourism promotion, algae clean-up, and additional scientists in the impacted areas. A full outline of how state and local government and research agencies are addressing red tide can be found here.

If you would like assistance with how to respond to guests with questions about this issue, please contact our Press Secretary, Amanda Handley, APR. She will happily help you craft talking points to share with staff and guests.

FRLA is working to ensure that our members can quickly and easily get information and resources to help you during this emergency. Check your email and follow us on social media for the most up-to-date information.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 18-221 declaring a state of emergency due to impacts of red tide in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Red tide is a naturally occurring algae that has been documented along Florida’s Gulf Coast since the 1840’s and occurs nearly every year.

Governor Scott said, “As Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area continues to feel the devastating impacts of red tide, we will continue taking an aggressive approach by using all available resources to help our local communities. Today, I am issuing an emergency declaration to provide significant funding and resources to the communities experiencing red tide so we can combat its terrible impacts. This includes making additional FWC biologists and scientists available to assist in clean-up and animal rescue efforts, more than $100,000 for Mote Marine Laboratory and $500,000 for VISIT FLORIDA to establish an emergency grant program to help local communities continue to bring in the visitors that support so many Florida families and businesses.

“In addition to the emergency order, I am also directing a further $900,000 in grants for Lee County to clean up impacts related to red tide – bringing total red tide grant funding for Lee County to more than $1.3 million. While we fight to learn more about this naturally-occurring phenomenon, we will continue to deploy all state resources and do everything possible to make sure that Gulf Coast residents are safe and area businesses can recover.”

Read the full press release here.

NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida set another tourism record in 2017 by welcoming the highest number of visitors in any year in the state’s history with 116.5 million visitors, according to VISIT FLORIDA. This represents a 3.6 percent increase over the 112.4 million visitors in 2016.

Governor Scott said, “Today, I am proud to announce that Florida has continued our record-breaking success by welcoming more than 116 million visitors in 2017. Because of VISIT FLORIDA’s aggressive marketing efforts to make sure families across the world knew that Florida was open to visitors following Hurricane Irma, we are able to celebrate another record-breaking year for tourism. This is especially great news for the 1.4 million jobs that rely on our growing tourism industry. We will continue to market our state as the number one global destination for tourism.”

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that a record 116.5 million visitors traveled to Florida in 2017, an increase of 3.6 percent over last year. This number breaks down to 102.3 million domestic visitors, 10.7 million overseas visitors and 3.5 million Canadian visitors coming to the Sunshine State. Total enplanements at Florida’s 18 major airports in 2017 increased 4.1 percent over the same period the previous year, with 87.2 million passengers. The number of hotel rooms sold in Florida during 2017 grew by 4.6 percent compared to quarter four 2016. During the same period, Florida’s average daily room rate (ADR) increased by 2.6 percent and occupancy by 3.2 percent.

Ken Lawson, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said, “Florida welcomed a record 116.5 million visitors in 2017, which is great news for our state. Because of the cutting-edge marketing programs at VISIT FLORIDA, particularly following Hurricane Irma, we were able to increase total visitation by 3.6 percent over last year, resulting in billions of dollars in revenue for the state. We are continuing to aggressively market the Sunshine State to the rest of the country and the rest of the world.”

Maryann Ferenc, Board Chair of VISIT FLORIDA, said, “I would like to offer gratitude to the Governor and the Legislature for funding VISIT FLORIDA, the VISIT FLORIDA team for their successful efforts, the tourism industry for creating a Florida that people want to visit and residents for creating the real welcome. Alignment at the local, state and national level have created prosperity in Florida!”

Carol Dover, President and CEO of Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), said, “Given all the Sunshine State has to offer as a vacation destination, it comes as no surprise that each year, Florida continues to attract visitors in record numbers, however this welcomed outcome is incredible considering the tough year our state has faced in the wake of Hurricane Irma and validates the state’s sound investment in tourism marketing. FRLA salutes the diligent efforts of VISIT FLORIDA, as well as our hospitality industry partners, who work in concert to ensure Florida remains competitive as a leading global destination. Visitors are not only enjoying our hotels and restaurants, they’re simultaneously boosting state and local revenues, and supporting 1.4 million industry jobs across the state.”

Florida set another record despite losing 1.8 million visitors due to Hurricane Irma, according to a recent report commissioned by VISIT FLORIDA. The impact report of Hurricane Irma shows that it cost the state 1.8 million visitors. An estimated 34.9 million out-of-state visitors came to Florida in the final four months of 2017. In the “no hurricane” model, Florida would have hosted 36.7 million visitors during that same time period. Additionally, Irma resulted in a loss of $1.5 billion in visitor spending, with $1.1 billion attributable to domestic visitors and $400 million for international visitors. Visitation was hit hardest in September, with visitation falling 13.5 percent relative to anticipated growth. However, losses were drastically reduced by October, and even more so in the following months. VISIT FLORIDA’s Post-Irma Marketing Campaign helped curb the effects of Irma on visitation, with an estimated 358 million impressions in the month following Irma.

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that a record 28.5 million visitors traveled to Florida in the fourth quarter of 2017, an increase of 5.5 percent over the same period last year. This Q4 number breaks down to 25.0 million domestic visitors, 2.8 million overseas visitors and 705,000 Canadian visitors coming to the Sunshine State. Total enplanements at Florida’s 18 major airports in Q4 2017 increased 6.7 percent over the same period the previous year, with 21.7 million passengers. The number of hotel rooms sold in Florida during quarter four of 2017 grew by 8.1 percent compared to quarter four 2016. During the same period, Florida’s average daily room rate (ADR) increased by 5.4 percent and occupancy by 7.0 percent.

To view the full Hurricane Irma Impact Report, click HERE.

To view additional Florida visitor data, click HERE.

*Preliminary estimates are issued 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final estimates are released when final data are received for all estimates in the report.

VISIT FLORIDA released new figures on the economic impact of visitors to Florida. In 2016, out-of-state visitor spending in Florida reached a record $112 billion, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year. Visitors generated $88 billion, or roughly 10 percent, of Florida’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up 4.2 percent over 2015, and visitors generated $11.6 billion in state and local taxes, up 3.3 percent.

Governor Scott said, “It is great news that Florida has reached yet another tourism record with a historic $112 billion in visitor spending in 2016. Florida’s tourism industry helps support more than 1.4 million jobs across our state and is a major driver in our growing economy. I look forward to working with the Legislature this session to secure $100 million for VISIT FLORIDA so we can continue to market our state as the top tourism destination in the world.”

President & CEO Ken Lawson said, “We are continuing to set visitation records in Florida, and new economic indicators show that VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing is working. Thanks to the leadership of the Governor and legislature, we’re continuing to see increases in not just visitation numbers, but economic indicators as well. Visitor spending, Gross Domestic Product, and state and local revenue are all up thanks to our success marketing the Sunshine State. We hope to continue building on this success by receiving full funding this upcoming year as we work to make Florida the number one global destination.”

Lodging represented the largest visitor spending sector at $31.8 billion, an increase of 3.3 percent over 2015. Visitor spending growth in the food & beverage sector accounted for $23 billion, growing 4.2 percent, and visitors spent more than $16 billion in recreational activities, accounting for a 3.6 percent increase.

The study continued to show visitor spending supporting 1.4 million Florida jobs, with an associated income of $53 billion. These jobs represent 17.1 percent of total employment, supporting one out of every six jobs in the state.

To view the full report, produced by Oxford Economics, click HERE.

To view the updated Florida Tourism Infographic, click HERE.