Tourism-tax revenue grows again
Orange County’s hotel tax continued to rise in December with revenue up 15 percent compared to the same time period in 2016.
The 6 percent tax on hotels, motels and short-term rentals generated about $23 million, according to the county comptroller’s office.
“I thought that there was a good chance that we would close out 2017 with a strong December. However, December clearly surpassed our expectations,” said Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond in a statement.
In November, the tax generated about $21.8 million.
The hotel tax helps pay for projects that are intended to grow tourism, including expansions at Orange County Convention Center or landing more high-profile sporting events such as the NFL Pro Bowl that took place last month at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium.
Some lawmakers have argued the hotel tax should be spent on items that benefit local residents, and have called for the money to be spent on public services such as roads. Council Union is made up of six unions that represents just under 40,000 Disney employees, including custodians, bus drivers, attractions workers, vacation planners and technicians who run the entertainment.
About 93 percent of union voters turned down the offer that would have given a raise of at least 50 cents an hour as well as a one-time $200 bonus for full-time employees and those who get tips.
Some Disney employees said they voted against the contract because they deserved higher wages and struggled financially to make ends meet.
Disney argued it was already paying workers nearly $2 more than Florida’s minimum wage.
In a move that was not tied to the union contract, Walt Disney Company announced last month more than 125,000 employees worldwide will each receive a $1,000 cash bonus. The company was also inThe vesting millions into a program to help hourly employees pay for college tuition. A Disney spokesman said the reinvestment was because of the tax cut that reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World has again nabbed the top spot in the rankings for hotels in the area, according to the annual calculations made by U.S. News & World Report. It’s the fourth consecutive year that Four Seasons has been No. 1 on the regional list.
Rounding out the top five for “Best Hotels in Orlando — Walt Disney World” list, in order, are the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes; Waldorf Astoria Orlando; Alfond Inn of Winter Park and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
rankings, U.S. News says, take into account the aggregate opinion of published travel experts and the overall customer satisfaction expressed in guest reviews on TripAdvisor. It only ranks luxury hotels and resorts — basically, those with a four-star rating or greater.
“The award is a testament to our incredible team of dedicated hospitality professionals that truly make all the difference,” says Thomas Steinhauer, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Resort Orlando.
In the write-up about Orlando’s 443-room Four Seasons, the listing indicates that the resort is 6 miles from Magic Kingdom and “aims to fill the park’s luxury lodging void.” It touts the golf course, spa, lazy river, complimentary Kids for All Seasons camp, its Disney Planning Center concierge desk as well as the accommodations.
“The Four Seasons Resort Orlando is well-suited for travelers who want easy access to the theme parks without the over-the-top kitsch associated with Disney-owned properties,” it reads.
Four Seasons Orlando is ranked No. 24 in the Best Hotels in the USA list. One Florida property is higher: Acqualina Resort & Spa on the Beach of Sunny Isles Beach at No. 6. Topping the USA list is Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii.
For Central Florida, rankings were published for 55 properties. They stretch from ChampionsGate in the south, up through the tourism corridor around Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, past downtown Orlando and as far north as Lake Mary. To browse the list and for more details, go to travel.usnews.com.