Florida’s Hospitality Industry Raises More than $800,000 for Victims of Orlando Tragedy

(Orlando, Fla.) The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is honored to announce that the hospitality industry raised more than $800,000 to support the victims of the recent tragedy in Orlando. The funds were collected during Dine Out for Orlando United, a fundraising event led by the FRLA in partnership with VISIT FLORIDA, that took place on June 30, 2016. Nearly 1,500 restaurant locations across the state participated and their contributions were submitted directly to the OneOrlando Fund.

During the event, guests dined at participating restaurants and made direct donations. Restaurateurs donated a percentage of their daily receipts, from 10 percent to 100 percent, to the Fund. Employees worked a shift, volunteered their time, or donated a portion of their tips. Businesses raised awareness by promoting, organizing or donating directly to the OneOrlando Fund. Local establishments reported lines out the door throughout the day, specifically for the Dine Out for Orlando United effort.

“I am in awe of our friends, family and colleagues in hospitality, who offered their help and hearts to ensure our Sunshine State remains strong,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Thank you to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Florida Governor Rick Scott for dining with us on Thursday, and their steadfast support of Dine Out for Orlando United. We are incredibly proud to take part in Orlando’s healing, grateful for those who contributed to this effort and are continuing to pray for the victims, their families and our community.”

As a number of restaurants continue to report their contributions in the coming weeks, the final donation amount is expected to grow. The OneOrlando Fund is a project of Strengthen Orlando, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation created for the purpose of supporting and starting projects to strength the Orlando community. Funds received into the OneOrlando Fund are directly distributed to victims’ families and survivors in an open, transparent and fair manner.

Please visit the following links to access photos, a recap video and a list of participating restaurants.

###

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Our mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s $82 billion hospitality industry which represents 23% of Florida’s economy and more than 1.1 million employees – making it the state’s number one industry. We offer regulatory compliance and food safety training needs (RCS and SafeStaff®); industry developed career-building high school programs (FRLAEF); sponsor the only event in Florida exclusively serving the restaurant and foodservice industry (FR&L Show, September 27-29, 2016 in Orlando); and we safeguard the needs of the hospitality industry by providing legislative advocacy. We represent and serve more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org and find us on Twitter @FRLAnews, Facebook and YouTube.

Florida’s Hospitality Industry Hosts Statewide Dine Out for Orlando United to Support Victims, Families and Community

(Orlando, Fla.) – To help victims and their families in the aftermath of the shooting in Orlando, Florida’s hospitality industry is offering its support by hosting a statewide community event on Thursday, June 30, 2016. Led by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in partnership with VISIT FLORIDA, the fundraiser, “Dine Out for Orlando United,” will be a day for Florida restaurants, their employees and guests to make a difference in the lives of those affected by the tragedy. All proceeds raised will be donated to the OneOrlando Fund, which is designed to provide a way to respond to the needs of the local community, now and in the time to come.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the victims and their families. As an industry, we want to continue to rally around them by offering our support, time and resources. Pulse is a member of the FRLA, a part of our hospitality family and we are proud to lend support. We encourage all Floridians and visitors to participate in this Dine Out to help the entire Orlando community,” said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

“The Florida tourism industry stands united as a community. This is a wonderful way for restaurants and Floridians statewide to come together in solidarity with the Orlando community and make a difference,” said Will Seccombe, president and CEO at VISIT FLORIDA.

“We are grateful for the support and leadership of Florida’s hospitality industry as we continue to work together to help the victims of this tragedy. We want to encourage everybody to dine out on June 30 to help raise money for the families of the victims,” said Buddy Dyer, Mayor of Orlando.

During the event, guests across the state are encouraged to dine at a participating restaurant and/or choose to make a direct donation. Employees can work a shift, choose to volunteer their time or donate a portion of tips. Businesses can join our list of participants and help us promote, organize and/or donate.

To participate, restaurants can:

Donate a portion of total sales
Collect donations received from guests and staff
Donate a portion of total profits
Make a donation for every sale of a specific item
Identify a set donation amount

Media is asked to contact FRLA Communications Director, Elizabeth Ray at [email protected]. For restaurants interested in participating in the event, please contact Dan Murphy at [email protected]. More information, along with a growing list of participating restaurants, will be available online at http://frla.org/dine-out-orlando/.

###

About OneOrlando Fund
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced the formation of the OneOrlando Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to provide a way to help respond to the needs of our community, now and in the time to come, after the effects of the Pulse tragedy. The distribution of the funds will be administered by the Central Florida Foundation. The Foundation serves as the region’s community foundation and is home to more than 400 charitable funds. For information regarding the OneOrlando Fund or to make a wire transfer, please contact [email protected].

MIAMI REPORT REVEALS $76 MILLION OF AIRBNB REVENUE IN MIAMI CAME FROM OPERATORS LISTING MULTIPLE UNITS FOR RENT

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) today released a new study that provides a detailed analysis of the rise in commercial activity taking place in Miami on Airbnb, one of the most trafficked short-term rental websites. The study was conducted by John O’Neill, MAI, ISHC, Ph.D., professor of hospitality management and director of the Center for Hospitality Real Estate Strategy in the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University, and examined activity on Airbnb between October 2014 and September 2015.

The report shows that among the 14 markets studied, Miami has the highest percentage of multi-unit operators on Airbnb and full-time operators, those renting units out full-time.

Key findings:

Full-time operators – those who listed their unit(s) for rent more than 360 days per year – accounted for more than $47 million or nearly 40% of Airbnb’s revenue in the Miami area, a higher percentage than in any of the other cities studied.
Three-quarters (76%) – of Airbnb’s revenue in the Miami metropolitan area (more than $93 million) came from the nearly 30% of operators who listed their unit(s) for rent for more than 180 days per year.
Almost two-thirds (62%, the highest percentage of the 14 cities studied) of Airbnb’s revenue in the Miami region – more than $76 million – came from operators who listed multiple units for rent.
The five Miami-area ZIP codes with the most properties listed on Airbnb accounted for more than $79 million, or 65% of Airbnb’s revenue in the Miami metropolitan area.

“As in many popular tourist destinations across the country, commercial landlords here in Miami are using short-term rental platforms like Airbnb to operate illegal hotel businesses that dodge taxes and duck rules and regulations that were put in place to protect our guests and the communities where we operate,” said Stefano Frittella, owner of the Pelican Hotel in Miami. “Furthermore, by driving up the cost of rent in the Miami area, illegal hotel operators on Airbnb are exacerbating the housing crisis that is hurting so many working families in Miami, making it harder to live and work in our communities.”

“These illegal businesses are not only disrupting Miami’s communities, but they are undermining one of the most important sectors of our economy. Florida’s hotel and lodging industry is an important segment of the state’s economy, employing more than 160,000 residents and generating $5.4 billion annually in state, local and federal taxes,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Illegal operators on Airbnb are threatening the business climate that Miami has worked so hard to develop. If Airbnb wants to be a legal player in the lodging industry, they should have to follow the same basic rules as everyone else in order to ensure fairness, respect communities, and protect consumers.”

“Unregulated hotels operated in residential properties are disruptive to communities and pose serious safety concerns for guests, for communities and for neighborhoods,” said AH&LA President and Chief Executive Officer Katherine Lugar. “In Miami, as in cities around the country, we have seen that Airbnb is unwilling to be transparent with its data and be a partner in creating safe environments for its users and the communities in which it operates. And now we know why: a growing portion of Airbnb’s revenue comes from commercial landlords using the platform to operate unregulated and often illegal lodging businesses. This problem is particularly acute in Miami, where – more than in any of the 14 cities studied – multi-unit and full-time operators drive Airbnb’s revenue. Policymakers in Miami, in Florida and across the country should act to ensure a fair travel marketplace by closing the illegal hotel loophole.”

Miami is the fourth of 14 cities profiled in a series of reports that comprise a second phase of an analysis into the commercial activity being transacted on Airbnb’s platform. The initial analysis (“From Air Mattresses to Unregulated Business: An Analysis of the Other Side of Airbnb”) was released in January 2016.

The full report is available for download on the AH&LA website at www.ahla.com.

Alert: Key Provisions of Overtime Ruling

On May 18, 2016, President Obama and Secretary Perez announced the publication of the Department of Labor’s final rule updating the overtime regulations, which will automatically extend overtime pay protections to over 4 million workers within the first year of implementation.

In 2014, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department to update the regulations defining which white collar workers are protected by the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime standards. Consistent with the President’s goal of ensuring workers are paid a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work, the memorandum instructed the Department to look for ways to modernize and simplify the regulations while ensuring that the FLSA’s intended overtime protections are fully implemented.

The Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on July 6, 2015 (80 FR 38515) and invited interested parties to submit written comments on the proposed rule at www.regulations.gov by September 4, 2015. The Department received over 270,000 comments in response to the NPRM from a variety of interested stakeholders. The feedback the Department received helped shape the Final Rule.

Key Provisions of the Final Rule

The Final Rule focuses primarily on updating the salary and compensation levels needed for Executive, Administrative and Professional workers to be exempt. Specifically, the Final Rule:

Sets the standard salary level at the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage Census Region, currently the South ($913 per week; $47,476 annually for a full-year worker);
Sets the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (HCE) subject to a minimal duties test to the annual equivalent of the 90th percentile of full-time salaried workers nationally ($134,004); and
Establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years to maintain the levels at the above percentiles and to ensure that they continue to provide useful and effective tests for exemption.

Additionally, the Final Rule amends the salary basis test to allow employers to use nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments (including commissions) to satisfy up to 10 percent of the new standard salary level.

The effective date of the final rule is December 1, 2016. The initial increases to the standard salary level (from $455 to $913 per week) and HCE total annual compensation requirement (from $100,000 to $134,004 per year) will be effective on that date. Future automatic updates to those thresholds will occur every three years, beginning on January 1, 2020.

Although the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has reviewed and approved the Final Rule, the document has not yet been published in the Federal Register. The Final Rule that appears in the Federal Register may contain minor formatting differences in accordance with Office of the Federal Register publication requirements. The OMB-approved version is being provided as a convenience to the public and this website will be updated with the Federal Register’s published version when it becomes available.

For more information from the Department of Labor, including a fact sheet, please click here.

White House Unveils Overtime Rule

The Department of Labor will unveil new federal overtime regulations May 18, the White House confirmed in a fact sheet.

According to the White House fact sheet, the new federal overtime rule will go into effect Dec. 1, 2016. Further details will be available in DOL regulations and technical guidance. The rule:

Guarantees time-and-half pay to any salaried employee earning under $47,476 a year ($913 a week) and who works more than 40 hours in a week. That’s double the current salary threshold of $23,660 ($455 a week).
Automatically updates the salary threshold every three years, tying it to the 40^thpercentile of full-time salaried workers in the lowest-income Census region (currently the South). The first update would be Jan. 1, 2020. Based on current wage trends, the DOL projects a salary threshold of $51,000 by Jan. 1, 2020.
Makes no changes in the duties tests used to determine whether a salaried employee above the threshold is considered an executive, administrative or professional employee and thus exempt from overtime pay.
For the first time, allows certain bonuses and incentive payments to count toward up to 10 percent of the new salary level.

National Restaurant Association reaction

The NRA noted in a statement that we are appreciative that the DOL appeared to listen to restaurants’ concerns and did not include the burdensome “long” duties test that would have led to increased contentious disputes and litigation–something the DOL stated it wanted to avoid. However, the threshold for exempt employees in the final regulations is still too high.

Restaurants operate on thin margins with low profits per employee and little room to absorb added costs. More than doubling the current minimum salary threshold for exempt employees, while automatically increasing salary levels, will harm restaurants and the employer community at large.

More than 80 percent of restaurant owners and 97 percent of restaurant managers start their careers in non-managerial positions and move up with performance-based incentives. These regulations may mean that salaried employees, who have worked hard to get where they are, could be subject to becoming hourly employees once again.

Opposition will continue

The DOL moved ahead with these regulations despite widespread opposition. Hundreds of lawmakers have joined with employer and nonprofit groups in criticizing DOL for failing to accurately estimate the rule’s impact. We expect immediate legislative efforts to defund, block or nullify the rule, as well as possible litigation against the DOL over its process for issuing the final rule and some of its mandates. The NRA has been a leading force in D.C. on this issue and will continue to use all available legislative and legal options to block a damaging rule.

NRA analysis and webinar

We will provide our members with an initial analysis of the rule this week, followed by a webinar Thurs., May 26, 3 p.m. ET. The webinar will be hosted by attorneys Angelo Amador, senior vice president and regulatory counsel at the NRA, and Alex Passantino, partner at Seyfarth Shaw and former Acting Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Information on how to register for the webinar will be provided on Restaurant.org as soon as it is available.

At Attorney General Bondi’s Request, Hotline Established for Frontier Customers

Frontier Communications acquired Verizon’s wireless properties in parts of Florida earlier this year. Since then, more than 700 consumers have contacted the Attorney General’s Office with complaints about internet, security, phone and television services. At the request of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Frontier Communications Corporation is now committed to improving communications and customer services in Florida.

If you are a Frontier customer experiencing problems, you can file a complaint with the Florida Attorney General’s Office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling (866) 9NO-SCAM.

Attorney General Bondi met with Frontier Executives last week and now the company has agreed to several changes to improve services. Frontier executives agreed to the following:

Frontier Communications will immediately prioritize addressing complaints regarding seniors and medically disadvantaged individuals;
A new Florida-based customer service number, (888) 457-4110, has been established that will be answered by live representatives from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The company also has set up a Chat Live platform for those able to go online;
Frontier has instituted a “SWAT Team” to coordinate the rapid response to customer escalations and service outages; and
Every customer who reported any out of service issue will be given a credit. The credit will be reflected on the customer’s bill no later than the end of June with no contact necessary with the company to receive this credit.

In a letter sent by Attorney General Bondi to Frontier’s CEO, the Attorney General outlined the serious service disruptions being reported to her office by Frontier customers. Customers complained of lost access to essential 911 services due to no phone service, lost internet service, extended waiting periods on customer service lines, missed service appointments, and no automatic billing credits for customers who lost service. To view the letter, click here.

At the meeting, Frontier provided the Attorney General with a written response to her letter addressing many of these issues. To view Frontier’s response, click here.

Safer Dining Is the Exclusive Food Allergy Training Provider for Regulatory Compliance Services

Safer Dining, the leader in food allergy training and Regulatory Compliance Services (RCS), a subsidiary of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), announced an agreement enabling Safer Dining to be the sole food allergy training provider for RCS. This partnership assures RCS can provide Safer Dining food allergen training options as requested by business owners. RCS will also include Safer Dining as an additional training option during employee food safety training and certified food protection manager classes.

Safer Dining’s alliance with RCS underscores their continued dedication to providing food allergy awareness and education to both distributors and consumers alike. Business owners across Florida can now rest assured that they and their staff would be able to safely serve patrons with food allergies. Through Safer Dining’s training, they will be equipped with the knowledge to not only prevent potential cross contamination but also how to handle an allergy situation should one arise and how to better manage liability.

“I’m excited to embark on this partnership with RCS and expand the resources available in the food allergy training to better meet the growing needs of food and hospitality organizations across the state,” said founder of Safer Dining, Dr. Jordan Maeson.

###

About Safer Dining: Having been trained in nuclear medicine, Dr. Maeson combined her food service knowledge, medical expertise and personal experience to create a unique consulting firm in 2011, which strives to educate and train businesses across all genres of the food handling industry in safely serving the millions of people worldwide who suffer with life threatening food allergies.

Safer Dining provides intensive food allergy consulting and educational services that strive to enhance both the awareness and advocacy for food handlers so that they can reach out to millions of food allergy sufferers, offering a safer and more enjoyable diningexperience.

About Regulatory Compliance Services: Founded in 1984 and a subsidiary of the FRLA, RCS is Florida’s leader in providing risk management and regulatory compliance training programs to the state’s hospitality industry. Utilizing the SafeStaff® educational training materials and harnessing the resources of FRLA industry experts and former regulators, RCS is the largest and most respected firm of its kind in Florida. With training managers from Pensacola to Key West, RCS stands ready to serve Florida’s hospitality industry. RCS offers training programs for Responsible Vendor Training, Food Safety Training for Employees and Managers, Sexual Harassment/Workplace Discrimination Prevention Training, and Professional Development Training. These training programs are fully administered by RCS leaving the restaurant manager to attend to other operational matters. For more information, please visit: http://www.regcomplianceusa.com.

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Broad-Based Tax Relief Package

Tallahassee–The Florida Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Tom Lee (R-Brandon) today passed House Bill 7099, as amended with the content of the Senate tax relief package. This legislation, combined with provisions of the 2016-17 General Appropriations Act, will deliver $400 million in broad-based tax relief for Florida families and business.

Senate President Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando) released the following statement:

“As Florida’s economy improves, property values across our state are rising, bringing increased equity to residential and commercial property owners across our state. Unfortunately, the practical impact of rising property values is higher property taxes. This year, the Legislature is taking important steps to mitigate that impact, by reducing local millage rates and using only state tax dollars to pay for a $478 million increase in education funding. This is a win-win scenario for our state. K-12 per student funding is at an all-time high, but state taxes dollars, rather than the property taxes of local homeowners and businesses, will cover the cost of that increase.

“This tax relief legislation also promotes private sector job creation and business expansion by permanently eliminating the sales tax on machinery and manufacturing equipment. This important savings can be a big difference for businesses looking to locate and expand in our state. Making this existing exemption permanent is a priority for Governor Scott, and we are pleased to support in his efforts to make Florida first in the nation in job creation.

“Another highlight of this important legislation is a Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday that will provide savings for Florida families this summer as they prepare for the new school year.”

For more information on the Senate amendment to House Bill 7099, please visit www.FLSenate.gov.

Florida Welcomed a Record 105 Million Tourists in 2015

ORLANDO, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida set another record in tourism by welcoming 105 million visitors in 2015, according to VISIT FLORIDA. This is the fifth consecutive record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 98.5 million in 2014 by 6.6 percent. The average number of direct travel-related jobs in 2015 was also a record high, with 1,199,200 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – up 53,400 or 4.7 percent over the same period last year. Governor Scott made the announcement at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida has surpassed our tourism goal and welcomed an historic 105 million visitors to our state in 2015. The number of travel-related jobs also reached a record high, with 1.2 million Floridians employed in the tourism industry. Tourism plays an important role in supporting our economy, and we will continue to make strategic investments in the tourism industry to keep Florida on track to becoming first for jobs. With five consecutive record years for tourism, it is time to set our goal even higher, and I look forward to welcoming 115 million visitors to the Sunshine State this year.”

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that a record 89.8 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in 2015, reflecting an 8.0 percent increase over 2014. Estimates also show that 11.2 million overseas visitors and 4.0 million Canadians came to the Sunshine State last year. Total enplanements at 18 Florida airports during 2015 increased 8.2 percent over the previous year, representing a record 6.1 million more enplaned passengers than in 2014.

Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said, “Five years of record-setting visitation does not happen by accident. It’s the direct result of a global marketing strategy focused on maximizing the economic impact of Florida tourism. Today’s announcement shows tourism marketing works and we have Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature to thank for their unparalleled leadership and support that has the Sunshine State on track to become the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”

Tourism and recreation taxable sales for Florida increased every month year-over-year from January through November 2015 (last reported month), representing an 8.6 percent increase over the same period in 2014. For 2015, the average daily room rate (ADR) rose 5.9 percent and the number of rooms sold grew by 4.5 percent compared to 2014. Florida’s average occupancy rate for 2015 was 72.0 percent, an increase of 3.2 percent over 2014. This represents a record year for the statewide calendar year occupancy rate, exceeding the previous high of 69.8 percent in 2014.

John Tomlin, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, said, “Achieving record visitation for five consecutive years, including reaching 105 million visitors in 2015, is a testament to the strong industry alignment between VISIT FLORIDA and our tourism Partners. Thanks to the visionary support of Governor Scott and the Florida legislature, together we have built a solid foundation that will enable us to reach our goal of generating $100 billion in visitor spending by 2020.”

For fourth quarter 2015, preliminary estimates show a record 25.2 million people visited the Sunshine State. This represents the largest fourth quarter visitation number Florida has ever seen and reflects an increase of 6.7 percent over the same period in 2014. VISIT FLORIDA also reports that an estimated 2.9 million overseas visitors and 671,000 Canadians traveled to Florida in the fourth quarter of 2015.

To view additional Florida visitor data, go the Research page on VISIT FLORIDA’s media website.

Bob Chapek, chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, said, “As home of the most popular theme park in the world, we’re thrilled to contribute to the record number of visitors to Florida — and the jobs and economic opportunities that tourism helps to create.”
George Aguel, President and CEO of Visit Orlando, said, “Visit Orlando is delighted that Governor Scott and VISIT FLORIDA have chosen Orlando to share this milestone tourism accomplishment for our state. This news aligns nicely with Orlando’s record visitation last year of over 62 million visitors and a prediction of another record year for 2015, ensuring our unique position as the most visited destination in the nation.

DT Minich, President and CEO of Experience Kissimmee, said, “These record numbers are a direct result of the dedicated efforts of VISIT FLORIDA and fellow tourism leaders throughout the state. We’re proud to be a part of the engine attracting visitors to Florida and applaud Governor Scott’s unwavering support of the industry.”

Bill Talbert, Vice Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, “Florida’s tourism continues to achieve records upon records thanks to the extraordinary efforts of VISIT FLORIDA and our tourism industry partners who work tirelessly to attract visitors to our beautiful diverse state. New and established tourism-related businesses are fueling growth, generating new jobs and paving the way for new milestones. We are fortunate to have a Governor and Legislature that support our industry and VISIT FLORIDA in reaching and surpassing goals for Florida’s tourism today and into the future.”

Andrew Hertz, Immediate Past Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & General Manager of Miami Seaquarium, said, “We know that Florida is the best vacation destination in the world, but it takes an incredible team effort to let the world know all we have to offer. VISIT FLORIDA has been the perfect model of how a public-private partnership works on behalf of the tourism industry and the people of the State of Florida. Five years of record year-over-year growth shows that the Governor and the Legislature are wise to continue to invest in Florida’s future by their funding of VISIT FLORIDA.”

Carol Dover, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Public Affairs Committee and President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, said, “The success seen here in the Sunshine State is off the charts! We are very proud that 105 million visitors took the opportunity to experience our incredible restaurants, hotels and attractions that offer world-class service, provided by 1.2 million dedicated Floridians. We are grateful to Governor Scott and Florida lawmakers for recognizing the industry’s achievements and ensuring that our state’s economy will continue to thrive. With their support, VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing strategies are continuing to work wonders and we look forward to a sixth consecutive year of record-breaking numbers.”

Bill Lupfer, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & CEO of the Florida Attractions Association, said, “As a vital part of Florida’s tourism industry, Florida attractions celebrate five consecutive years of record breaking visitation. Florida’s world-renowned attractions and diverse destinations continue to set the industry standard, and we applaud our partners and the support of Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature.”

Mark Wilson, President & CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said, “Congratulations to VISIT FLORIDA and Florida’s tourism industry for achieving a historic 105 million visitors to Florida in 2015. When visitors travel to Florida, they learn about our top ten school rankings, low crime rate, zero personal income tax, business-friendly climate and family-friendly brand, and often return to open a business and create jobs for Floridians. The Florida Chamber is proud to celebrate this milestone, and looks forward to making Florida even more competitive in the future.”

Malinda Horton, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and Executive Director of the Florida Association of Museums, said, “The Florida tourism industry continues to drive the positive statewide economic outlook with the leadership of Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature’s support of VISIT FLORIDA, the public-private partnership for tourism marketing. This fifth consecutive year of record breaking tourism growth could only have been achieved with high-quality visitor valued offerings statewide. The diverse range of world-class activities from sporting events to museums, a happening culinary scene, and great Florida weather have been harmoniously combined into a win-win vacation for travelers and Florida residents who benefit from robust job growth, a booming tourism expansion construction effort, and increased sales tax revenues that fuel our economy.”

Samantha Padgett, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and Vice President & General Counsel for the Florida Retail Federation, said, “We want to applaud the tremendous coordinated efforts of Governor Scott, our legislative leaders and VISIT FLORIDA in attracting more than 105 million tourists to our state. Record tourism means great news for Florida’s 270,000 retailers who depend on Sunshine State travelers to purchase gifts and memories from their visit.”

Dan Rowe, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President & CEO of Visit Panama City Beach, said, “We have had a run of record-breaking years in terms of visitation, and 2015 was no exception. VISIT FLORIDA has been a great partner as Panama City Beach continues to grow, becoming a year-round destination and more than just a beautiful beach. As we strive to offer guests additional reasons to spend their vacation days with us, Panama City Beach has seen our fall visitation nearly double in just 5 years, and in 2015 tourism brought more than $1.4 billion in direct spending. For Panama City Beach, and for the entire state of Florida, tourism is a key economic driver that Governor Scott and leaders in the Florida Legislature have done a terrific job supporting.”

Virginia Haley, Member of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President of Visit Sarasota County, said, “VISIT FLORIDA’s leadership has given our industry the marketing platforms that have driven this success. Here at Visit Sarasota County, we can see the results of our partnership with VISIT FLORIDA in our tourism records.”

Joe Lopano, CEO of the Tampa International Airport, said “This is great news! Governor Scott set a goal of serving 100 million visitors in 2015 and thanks to VISIT FLORIDA’s outstanding marketing programs, we surpassed that goal. Every part of the state benefits from that commitment to growing our tourism economy. At Tampa International Airport, we’re on pace to serve a record number of passengers in 2016, which means more people enjoying our beaches, great restaurants, museums and attractions. That wouldn’t be possible without the support of all of our partners in Tallahassee.”

*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.

$1.4 Million in Scholarships Awarded to Florida High School Students Participating in ProStart Culinary Team Competition

(Orlando, Fla.) The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) announced the winners of the 16th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competition which was held Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.

A total of 49 schools participated in the competition with 13 schools winning top awards throughout the day’s events. More than $1.4 million in scholarships was distributed to the winning schools. All winners and participants are a part of Florida’s ProStart program which is a career technical education program where high school students learn from an industry-derived curriculum that teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills. More than 20,000 students from across the state are enrolled in the program. The four main event competitions included: the Cracker Barrel Management Competition, the Johnson & Wales University Culinary Competition, the Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition, and the Coca-Cola Company Waiters Relay Competition.

Gainesville’s Eastside High School won first place in the overall competition. East Ridge High School in Clermont took home second place in the overall competition, with J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs placing third. For photos of the event, please click here.

“These students absolutely represent the future of Florida’s hospitality industry and we are proud to help support their education by awarding more than $1 million in scholarships. We are passionate about investing in the lives of these student all-stars and are thrilled we get to watch them craft their incredible talents and build successful careers,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Overall Competition Winners

First Place	Eastside High School	Instructor: Billie DeNunzio
Second Place	East Ridge High School	Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Third Place	J.P. Taravella High School	Instructor: Scott Goodman
Fourth Place	Leto High School	Instructor: Debra Hladky
Fifth Place	Seabreeze High School	Instructor: Samantha Crouch

Johnson & Wales University Culinary Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their creative abilities during the competition through the preparation of a meal consisting of: starter (such as soup, salad or appetizer), protein (such as meat, fish or fowl), starch, vegetable, and dessert.

First Place	Leto High School	Instructor: Debra Hladky
Second Place	Eastside High School	Instructor: Billie DeNunzio and Pam Bedford
Third Place	East Ridge High School	Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Fourth Place	J.P. Taravella High School	Instructor: Scott Goodman
Fifth Place	Steinbrenner High School	Instructors: Philip Meola and David Walesheck

Cracker Barrel Management Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a business proposal for a new restaurant concept. The business proposal consisted of a defined restaurant concept, supporting menu, and supporting marketing plan. Teams prepared a comprehensive written proposal, verbal presentation and visual display.

First Place	Eastside High School	Instructor: Billie DeNunzio and Pam Bedford
Second Place	Deland High School	Instructor: Renee Scarborough
Third Place	East Ridge High School	Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Fourth Place	Mainland High School	Instructors: Jason Kester and Troy Logan
Fifth Place	Northeast High School	Instructors: John Beck and Curtis Serata

Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their creative ability during the competition through the preparation of an edible centerpiece consisting of fruits and vegetables. Contestants explained nutritional information, product availability, and preparation techniques.

First Place	Tarpon Springs High School	Instructor: Cathleen Ryan, Vincenzo Pesce and Tony DeVincenzo
Second Place	Eastside High School	Instructor: Billie DeNunzio and Pam Bedford
Third Place	Mainland High School	Instructors: Jason Kester and Troy Logan
Fourth Place	Seabreeze High School	Instructor: Samantha Crouch
Fifth Place	Northeast High School	Instructor: John Beck and Curtis Serata

Coca-Cola Company Waiters Relay Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their ability to duplicate a table setting while racing against the clock.

First Place	J.P. Taravella High School	Instructor: Scott Goodman
Second Place	Seabreeze High School	Instructor: Samantha Crouch
Third Place	East Ridge High School	Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Fourth Place	Bartow High School	Instructor: Rosalind Chan
Fifth Place	Stoneman Douglas High School	Instructor: Ashley Kurth

###

About FRLA Educational Foundation (FRLAEF)
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association created the Educational Foundation in 1994. FRLAEF administers and executes two high school curriculums ‐ the National Restaurants Association’s (NRA) ProStart and the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) Lodging Management Program – in more than 240 Florida high schools and provides resources to nearly 25,000 students in these culinary arts and hospitality management programs. Scholarships, Teacher Training Institutes, Industry Certifications, Equipment Mini‐Grants and Industry Internships are just a few of the products and services the FRLAEF provides to these classrooms. For more information, please go to http://frla.org/educational-foundation/.