FLORIDA TOURISM HITS THIRD-QUARTER HIGH- Press Release

November 15, 2013 - Courtesy Florida News Service

The state's tourism arm, Visit Florida, is estimating that 22.9 million people came to Florida during the third quarter of the year, a 1.7 percent increase from the same period in 2012. Gov. Rick Scott announced the quarterly numbers during an appearance Friday at Busch Gardens in Tampa. The numbers keep Florida on pace to surpass the record-setting 91.4 million visitors estimated in 2012, but slips the state a little more off track from a goal of 100 million visitors in 2013. Visit Florida earlier projected the state drew 49.6 million for the first six months of 2013. "Record visitor numbers equate to record visitor spending," Visit Florida President and CEO Will Seccombe said in a statement released by the governor's office. Visit Florida estimates that in the first eight months of the year travel-related employment in Florida grew 2.8 percent, accounting for 29,700 new jobs. With an eye on pushing the state's tourism numbers over 100 million a year, Visit Florida has requested an $11.5 million boost to its budget that would increase the annual state allocation to $75 million during the next fiscal year. The money, which mostly goes into advertising, is in addition to approximately $110.9 million in private contributions to Visit Florida. Scott will consider the request as he puts together a budget proposal that will go to the Legislature. Ultimately, it will be up to lawmakers to decide. Of the latest quarterly numbers, the area of biggest increase was in overseas visitors, a 10.1 percent jump from the same time in 2012. Domestic visitors, of which there were an estimated 19.5 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, grew by 0.5 percent in the year-to-year comparison. The more than half-million Canadians who visited the state during the third quarter marked a 2.9 percent increase from the prior year.