Florida’s Record Breaking Tourism Creates Economic Opportunity
According to tourism numbers released today, Florida welcomed 112.8 million visitors from other states and other countries in 2016.
As the third largest state in the nation, how does tourism impact Florida’s long-term future?
When visitors come to Florida, they help create jobs and pay $6 billion in state taxes and $5.3 billion in local taxes. Sales and other taxes paid by visitors help keep Floridians from having to pay an income tax. In fact, visitors to Florida pay in taxes the equivalent of $1,535 per Florida household.
Tourism in Florida not only helps create jobs, but also allows Floridians in those jobs to acquire employability skills.
In the Florida Chamber Foundation’s latest Cornerstone research project, Florida Jobs 2030, the Florida Chamber Foundation interviewed more than 90 stakeholders from Florida’s business, education, nonprofit and workforce communities to analyze 21st-century jobs and the skills required to perform them. Research from Florida Jobs 2030 found businesses in Florida and around the nation need workers who are trained in employability skills— soft skills like critical thinking, communications and problem solving that are crucial to both employees and employers.
Jobs in Florida’s hospitality industry help Floridians gain these high-demand employability skills, which can benefit all Florida companies.
Learn More
- TheFloridaScorecard.org, Florida’s leading metric database, tracks visitors and visitor spending in Florida and hundreds of other metrics that show the current state of Florida. Click here to learn more.
- Click here to download and share Florida Jobs 2030. Share your comments and feedback with us at jmcnabb@flfoundation.org.
