Sunny Days BY: MARK GORDON | DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR
April 12, 2013
Old Man Winter, once again, has been kind to the Sunshine State.
So good that the state set records in several key tourism metrics in 2012. That’s partially from a cold winter in the Northeast, Midwest and Canada, which drove more visitors to Florida, and in some cases, made them stay longer, say several tourism industry officials. The rebound in the economy is another factor in the surge.
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Davis, whose parents, Frank and Jo Davis, own Harrington House, says he expects 2013 will be another strong year, both at the property and in the region. In addition to an improving economy, Davis cites Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau marketing efforts for the increase.
Whatever the reason, from weather to increased consumer confidence, Florida overall certainly has its tourism mojo going. Some key statistics in the rebound include:
-Visitors to the state spent $71.8 billon last year, an annual all-time high mark. That figure is a 6.8% bump over 2011, which was the previous all-time high, at $67.2 billion, according to Visit Florida data.
-A total of 89.3 million people visited Florida in 2012, up 2.3% from the 87.3 million people in 2011. The 2012 tally is the all-time high for Florida tourists.
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