You’re invited to attend the 2016 Hospitality Stars of the Industry, slated to take place on September 28 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Join us as we honor the first responders who humbly served our community during the Orlando tragedy this year. We will also install the 2017 FRLA Chairman and Executive Committee and recognize the Hotelier, Restaurateur and Supplier of the Year along with other outstanding hospitality industry employees. Live auction proceeds will benefit the FRLA Educational Foundation.

The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show is coming up at the end of this month, September 27-29. Members get 3 FREE tickets to the biggest industry trade show in Florida, with an added bonus this year: our Independent Operators Workshop, featuring keynote speakers Jim Knight & Kathleen Wood. This is the must-attend event for small businesses strategically planning their future.

Hurricane Relief Resources for Businesses: As a member of the FRLA family, we hope first and foremost, you and your loved ones have remained safe during the recent landfall of Hurricane Hermine. Click here for resources to provide support and relief for your business, including the Business Damage Assessment Survey, Lodging Availability Form, and emergency office information.

2016 Hospitality Stars of the Industry Event Honors First Responders: You’re invited to attend the 2016 Hospitality Stars of the Industry, slated to take place on September 28 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Join us as we honor the first responders who humbly served our community during the Orlando tragedy this year. We will also install the 2017 FRLA Chairman and Executive Committee and recognize the Hotelier, Restaurateur and Supplier of the Year along with other outstanding hospitality industry employees. Proceeds will benefit the FRLA Educational Foundation.

Stay Informed: Daily Zika Virus Updates: In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware about the status of the Zika virus, the Florida Department of Health continues to issue an update each weekday. Updates will include a CDC-confirmed Zika case count by county and information to better keep Floridians prepared. Click here to view the most recent updates.

Recently Richard Turner, FRLA VP of Government Relations, participated in a press conference with State Senator Jeff Brandes to support Amendment 4. The statewide primary ballot initiative would create an exemption from sales taxes and tangible personal property taxes for businesses that add solar panels. Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.

FRLA Representatives Speak at Florida Main Street Conference: FRLA proudly participated as a premier sponsor of the 2016 Annual Florida Main Street Conference in Deland this week. FRLA Vice Chair Don Fox gave the keynote presentation to more than 100 representatives of Florida’s historic Main Street programs. Paul Phipps of VISIT FLORIDA shared insight into the makeup of today’s traveler, and Great Florida Events Manager Susie McKinley reviewed the benefits of FRLA’s Great Florida Events program to Main Street events.

FRLA Hosts Successful:Marketing + Operations Summit: Thank you to all of our incredible speakers, sponsors and attendees for making the 2016 Marketing + Operations Summit an exceptional two days at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. View the photo album here. What did you think of the event? FRLA wants to hear from you! Take a moment and fill out this survey, so we can continue improving the ‪summit‬ for years to come.
Meetings Mean Business in the Sunshine State: Florida welcomed a record 106.3 million out-of-state and international visitors in 2015. Nearly 6.2 million of them traveled to the Sunshine State to attend a meeting, conference or trade show. Meetings visitors stay an average of 3.3 nights and spend nearly $120 more per day than leisure travelers. Clearly, the meetings industry is big business in the Sunshine State and VISIT FLORIDA has created a host of programs to reach this vital market. Learn more.

Florida’s Hospitality Industry Raises More than $750,000 for Orlando Victims: FRLA is honored to announce that the hospitality industry raised more than $750,000 to support the victims of the recent tragedy in ‪‎Orlando during Dine Out for ‪‎Orlando United. As a number of restaurants continue to report their contributions to the OneOrlando Fund in the coming weeks, the final donation amount is expected to grow. Thank you to nearly 1,500 restaurant locations across the state who participated, and to VISIT FLORIDA for partnering with us on this initiative. View the photo album here. Read more.

Dine Out for Orlando United: Tomorrow, Florida’s hospitality industry bands together as businesses, employees, and guests work to make a difference in the lives of those affected by the tragedy in Orlando. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making Dine Out for #OrlandoUnited possible. We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the community, with new restaurant pledges still arriving in the final hours. We now have nearly 1,500 locations participating in a statewide effort benefiting the victims through the OneOrlando Fund.

Board Members Plan the Future of the FRLA at Opal Sands Resort

This month FRLA met at the Opal Sands Resort in Clearwater for the 2016 Summer Board Meeting. For three days our amazing team discussed how we can continue to protect, educate and promote Florida’s hospitality industry. We heard from keynote speaker Don Yaeger, who will be coming back to speak at the Marketing + Operations Summit in July. Plus, we had wonderful guest speakers including Sen. Jack Latvala (R – Clearwater) and National restaurant Association Chairman Joe Kadow. Thank you to all of our wonderful board members for attending, and to our amazing sponsors for helping us host this event. View the full photo album here.

FDA Releases Voluntary Sodium Targets for Restaurants, Packaged Food

The Food & Drug Administration released a draft guidance that outlines a series of “voluntary targets” for restaurants and packaged-food manufacturers to reduce sodium levels. In the guidance, the FDA set voluntary targets for 150 categories of food, including both restaurant and packaged foods. The FDA says its goal over time is to bring the average American’s sodium consumption to below 2,300 mg a day, down from a level of about 3,400 mg today (according to FDA estimates). Click here to learn more and here to view the draft guidance.
FRLA Partners with AH&LA on Airbnb Study Showcasing Rise in Commercial Activity

FRLA partnered with the American Hotel & Lodging Association to highlight 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. This 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. Take a moment to view a sampling of our coverage in the South Florida Business Journal and the Miami Herald. Learn more, or download the full study here.

U.S. Department of Labor Changes Rules for Overtime Pay: The U.S. Department of Labor announced new federal overtime regulations this week in a fact sheet. Salaried restaurant employees who work more than 40 hours in a week will be entitled to overtime pay as of Dec. 1 unless they earn more than $47,476 annually. The threshold that will make management employees exempt from overtime requirements is roughly double the current level—the equivalent of $913 per week, versus $455, or $23,660 annually. DOL has issued a fact sheet, Q&A document, and press release on the rule; all of which can be found here.

Record Number of Tourists Visit Florida in First Quarter: A record-breaking 29.8 million tourists visited Florida during the first quarter of the year, marking the highest tourism count ever recorded from January to March, according to data released Monday by Gov. Rick Scott’s office. The governor announced that 29.8 million tourists visited the state between January and March, a 4.8 percent increase from the same time period last year. Read more from the Palm Beach Post.