Senate, House agree to let Visit Florida fade away

TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida could be fading into the sunset, as House and Senate leaders have agreed to let the state’s tourism marketing agency expire on Oct. 1.

Earlier in the legislative session, senators passed a bill to extend Visit Florida’s life beyond Oct. 1 and put $50 million in its budget.

But House leaders, who are skeptical that tax money should be used to support the tourism industry, have ignored that bill and included just $19 million in its budget to keep the agency funded through September.

Sen. Travis Hutson, the Senate’s top economic development budget writer, said his chamber would prefer to keep Visit Florida, but there’s no reason to add more money into it if the House won’t act to extend its life past the fall.

“If they want to offer something higher, I’m glad to consider it but at this point, if it’s going to sunset and go away, we can’t throw extra money at it,” said Hutson, R-St. Augustine.

While budget talks are still ongoing, and lawmakers could put money into the program before a spending plan is final, House Speaker Jose Oliva isn’t inclined to do so.

Oliva, R-Miami, told reporters late Tuesday that it’s still possible Visit Florida could be kept alive, but he doesn’t think the agency is vital to the state’s tourism industry.

“In a trillion-dollar economy, a few million dollars put towards advertising a few different places

cannot possibly have a direct correlation to tourism,” Oliva said. “… the types of attractions that exist here in Florida, the weather — there’s a whole series of factors. Visit Florida is probably least among them.”

Bill Lupfer is president and CEO of the Florida Attractions Association, an Orlando-based trade group of theme parks ranging from major parks like Disney and Universal to smaller attractions like Gatorland and the Brevard Zoo. He said it would be the smaller attractions that will suffer if Visit Florida goes away, and the state will lose tourists and jobs.

“The idea of tourists will come anyway is a false narrative,” Lupfer said. “There’s no reason to gamble the success we have had as a state by playing political games.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis, in office for four months, wanted to keep Visit Florida alive for at least another year, and asked lawmakers for $76 million, the amount in the current budget. He challenged Oliva to let his members vote on the Senate’s bill to extend it.

“Put it on the floor, let people go up or down on it and see. My sense is it’s got bipartisan support and would probably pass the House,” DeSantis told reporters. “If you have problems with it then let’s come back next year and debate it but to just let it sunset is not something that I’ve supported.”

And Visit Florida officials aren’t giving up on a lastminute reprieve before the end of the legislative session, set for May 3.

“I truly believe that there’s a clear path to success,” said Visit Florida CEO Dana Young, a former state senator. “Members are still talking, negotiations are ongoing and I’m ever optimistic. And my optimism is based on the fact that we have such a positive message; we have such positive impact on Florida’s economy.’’

Young and other supporters have pointed to studies from state economists showing Visit Florida spending produced a $2 return for every $1 spent for 2015-2017. She said other states would reap the rewards if Florida stops marketing itself.

“I would think that Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, they are cheering this decision. California, they are cheering this decision because it’s going to increase their market share at the detriment of Florida taxpayers,” Young said.

Visit Florida was created in 1996 as a public-private venture to support Florida’s tourism industry, allowing the group to market the Sunshine State. It has about 140 employees.

For most of its history, it has enjoyed bipartisan in both chambers of the Legislature.

DeSantis’ predecessor Rick Scott, now a U.S. senator, was a staunch supporter he was governor, and he touted its efforts in drawing in record numbers of tourists, including 126 million last year.

But House leaders in 2017 pushed to gut funding for Visit Florida, with thenHouse Speaker Richard Corcoran likening it to “corporate welfare” because it used taxpayer money to help private businesses. Eventually, Scott and Corcoran reached an agreement to create more transparency rules while keeping Visit Florida funded at $76 million.

Now, it’s on the chopping block again.