Orange County tourist tax revenue hits new record for September
Orange County collected more than $26 million from the tourist development tax in September.
Orlando’s Icon Park expanding with digital ‘Arte Museum,' new retail space
Orlando’s Icon Park plans a major 100,000-square-foot expansion, highlighted by a 30,000-square-foot digital “Arte Museum” opening in 2027.
Visit Orlando CEO defends spending after county audit flags $20M in misclassified funds
Visit Orlando’s CEO defended the organization’s finances Tuesday after Orange County officials alleged the tourism agency misclassified roughly $20 million in funds over the past five years.
'Dirty Myrtle' is now the hottest US metro for seniors
Myrtle Beach has become the fastest-growing U.S. metro area for people 65 and older, driven by climate, low taxes, and remote work trends. The senior population now makes up over a quarter of its residents.
Florida sets new tourism record: 2024 marks highest annual visitation in state history, DeSantis says
New data confirms that Florida set a new all-time annual record in 2024 with 143 million visitors — an increase of 1.7% over the previous record set in 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says.
Orlando Magic's Kia Center among top 5 arenas NBA fans must visit, study reveals
A recent study revealed Kia Center as a top 5 destination for tourists to visit.
DeSantis stresses spring break safety as Clearwater Beach hotspot prepares for rush
As spring break season arrives, Florida's beaches are gearing up for an influx of visitors looking to enjoy the state's warm weather and white sand.
Nearly 100 on board Royal Caribbean cruise that left Tampa sick with gastrointestinal illness: CDC
Royal Caribbean’s Western Caribbean Cruise promised vacationers the chance to hike Mayan ruins in Mexico and swim in the waters of Grand Cayman.
A cruise set to sail the world for 3 years has been stuck in Northern Ireland for 3 months
Travelers waiting to take a cruise around the world have been waiting for months to depart, but several passengers have made the most of their unexpected downtime in other ways.
Petition calls for LGBTQ section to be restored on Visit Florida tourism website
A new push is underway to have Florida's tourism website, "Visit Florida," restore its LGBTQ section after it was quietly removed.
Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel info from state website
This week, travelers learned that Florida's tourism marketing agency Visit Florida quietly removed the "LGBTQ Travel" section from its website sometime in the past few months.
Westgate Resorts clears another hurdle for new hotel in Cocoa Beach
A new resort is on its way to Florida's Space Coast. Cocoa Beach city commissioners gave Orlando-based Westgate Resorts the initial green light Thursday by approving the first reading of a development agreement.
Disney to invest $17B in Florida resort, paving way for possible 5th theme park
Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) have a deal.
Carnival Freedom cancellations: Cruise ship fire disrupts youth group's spring break plans; how you can help
A group with the nonprofit organization called H.O.P.E. traveled 10 hours to Central Florida to take a group of 10 kids on a Carnival cruise for spring break, but those plans were canceled after the ship caught fire. Now, the group is raising money again to give the children the spring break they deserve.
Daytona Beach using 'geofencing' to track tourism data
More than 400,000 people flocked to Daytona Beach during Bike Week, with the city employing new technology to monitor attendance figures, officials disclosed.
Florida tourism total down slightly in 2023 from previous year
Visitors to Florida last year fell short of 2022’s record numbers, as a post-pandemic rebound in international travelers couldn’t overcome a noticeable drop-off in domestic tourism late in the year.
Orange County commissioners direct tourism dollars to Camping World, Kia Center
The Orange County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to dole out some of the Tourism Development Tax (TDT) dollars. This is a discussion that’s been going on since March of last year.
'Their rights outweigh ours': Brevard County homeowners frustrated with short-term rentals
Homeowners in Melbourne Beach, Florida are pushing back against vacation rentals taking over the town. Neighbors are getting state and county lawmakers involved to look for solutions and make statewide change.
New renderings released in proposed pedestrian bridge over I-Drive in Orlando
There is a plan to make the dangerous intersection of International Drive by Sand Lake Road in Orlando safer for pedestrians, by building a bridge. The current plan calls for a pedestrian bridge that is three stories high.
