Visit Florida fighting for survival again
Tourism agency’s charter set to expire in June
TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida is fighting for its life again, six months after the beleaguered tourism marketing agency got a lastminute reprieve from the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Lawmakers in the spring cut Visit Florida’s budget by $26 million and extended its charter in state law only until June 30, 2020. Visit Florida leaders are pushing for a longer lease on life.
“No business can operate as effectively as they would otherwise from year to year,” said Visit Florida president and CEO Dana Young. “If you’re operating on a 12-month cycle with tremendous uncertainty at the end, those opportunities to be more efficient and more effective are not there.”
Visit Florida develops and pays for ads marketing the state to tourists but also partners with businesses for ad packages and marketing campaigns. Nearly 84% of its operating revenue last year came from taxpayers.
DeSantis, who stepped in during budget negotiations earlier this year to keep Visit Florida alive, included an eightyear extension in the
budget recommendations he released on Nov. 18.
A bill to do just that passed the Senate earlier this year and has advanced in Senate committees again ahead of the 2020 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14. But in the House, where leaders have sought to eliminate Visit Florida or slash its funding for the past three years, the bill has failed to get a hearing.
If the bill fails to move in the House, lawmakers can still grant Visit Florida another one-year extension to June 30, 2021.
But Young says that would make it harder to plan, budget and ink contracts that go beyond one year.
Young said while Visit Florida had to lay off 44 employees because of the budget cuts, remaining employees have stepped up to fill the void, but another one-year extension could make it harder to retain and recruit skilled workers.
“It’s frankly a disservice to taxpayers to not reauthorize us for a period of time that can allow us to take advantage of these efficiencies that come from long-term planning and economies of scale,” Young said.
House Speaker Jose
Oliva, R-Miami, has staunchly opposed keeping Visit Florida. He did not return calls for comment but has previously called Visit Florida “unnecessary.”
Republicans in the House have been looking to oust Visit Florida since 2017, with Oliva’s predecessor, Richard Corcoran, leading the way. The move set off a bitter feud with then-Gov. Rick Scott before the two reached a compromise that kept Visit Florida while Corcoran’s new school voucher program was approved.
Americans for Prosperity, the free-market advocacy group backed by billionaire Charles Koch, has supported the House GOP’s position, lauding lawmakers who stood against Visit Florida.
“The state shouldn’t be acting as a tourism board,” Americans for Prosperity spokesman Andrews Malave said. “Lawmakers need to make the difficult political decision if that’s what they think it is to act in the best interest of taxpayers.”
For Young and Visit Florida’s supporters, funding the agency is the best thing for taxpayers. They point to a study by state economists that showed the state received $2.15 for each $1 invested in Visit Florida from 2013-2016.
Young also noted tourism’s importance to the overall state economy, bringing in $3.2 billion in sales tax revenues, 13% of all sales tax collections in the 2018 fiscal year.
Young cited Florida chief economist Amy Baker who “said that softening in the tourism numbers is the number one threat to the long-range financial outlook for Florida,” in a presentation to lawmakers on budget projections.
Visit Florida’s current budget stands at $50 million, down from $76 million the previous year. Young says in addition to the layoffs, she’s had to cut back on sponsorships, travel and overseas advertising.
Tourism trade group officials say the cuts are already having an impact, pointing to a small 1.2% growth in third-quarter numbers announced Wednesday. The report included a time when Hurricane Dorian threatened the state and hotel rentals dropped by 40% in Central Florida over the Labor Day weekend.
Industry leaders are also pushing for Visit Florida’s eight-year extension.
“We need for the House to hear the bill. Let’s get this bill moving,” said Carol Dover, president of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “You can’t miss the numbers, the numbers speak for themselves.”