For the last few months, the future of Visit Florida, the destination marketing organization responsible for promoting Florida as a visitor destination, has been looking pretty bleak.
The tourism entity dodged one bullet in early February when lawmakers voted in favor of the total annihilation of the agency's budget. Since then, lawmakers have dialed back on that decision, but Visit Florida is still facing some serious budget cuts.
Members of Florida's house and senate, which have been haggling for months over the state budget, released "a broad framework" for the final budget earlier this week. The numbers are expected to "antagonize" Governor Rick Scott, who has been a strong proponent of Visit Florida.
While Scott asked for $100 million in state funding for Visit Florida (an increase over $75 million last year), it's looking like the legislature will set the agency's funding at $25 million along with a number of strict restrictions on how the agency can spend that money.
According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Scott has responded to the proposed budget with stern words for legislators. "Lawmakers cannot be shortsighted at the expense of Florida families by cutting funds for tourism marketing and economic development," said the governor. "I would be absolutely shocked if politicians in the Florida Legislature put their self-interests before the interests of our families and small businesses."
[READMORE]READ MORE: Visit Florida Funding in Jeopardy[/READMORE]
Scott has also released a video, "Keep Florida Working," that explains why tourism is important for the state.
"Every 76 tourists is another job for a Florida family," says Scott in the video.
Also advocating in favor of Visit Florida is the state's director of bond finance, Ben Watkins. In a letter to legislatures, Watkins wrote that cutting Visit Florida could mean a loss in sales tax revenue, which in turn might affect the state's bond rating, according to The Tampa Bay Times.
Meanwhile, Visit Florida is also taking up the issue in a separate video starring Cathy Ritter, the head of the Colorado Tourism Office. In the video, Ritter says that Colorado, which was the number one summer resort destination before funding cuts, fell to number 17 after lawmakers voted to abolish the tourism office in 1993.
"By saving $12 million a year," said Ritter, "they ultimately cost the state economy about $1 billion a year and the losses kept snowballing over the years."
[READMORE]READ MORE: Should Taxpayer Money Pay for Tourism Marketing[/READMORE]
In the comments section of the video, Jack Wert, the executive director of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau reiterates the importance of the state tourism budget.
"This Colorado story has played out in other states as well, including Washington, Pennsylvania and most recently in Illinois," wrote Wert. "The result has always been the same- immediate market share loss of visitors, decreased visitor spending, jobs in hospitality and related businesses lost. And in each case, the state's former position in the highly competitive tourism marketplace has never been regained. Please do not let this terrible outcome happen in Florida. We are the industry leader, and we should set the right example for the country. Maintain the current funding level of VISIT FLORIDA and keep Florida # 1.
Florida's final state budget is expected to be presented to Scott sometime next week. Although some media outlets have written they expect Scott to veto the budget, Scott has not gone on record stating that is an option he is willing to explore.
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