It is welcome and exciting news that several parks and attractions are now growing and expanding including Legoland®, Walt Disney World®, Universal Studios and Harry Potter, and Sea World.

Tourism development leads to a positive improvement for all Floridians and tourists alike. The huge success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has significantly boosted tourism and business activity around the Universal Studios area and Orlando as a whole.

Tourism is Orlando’s bread and butter. It is the most important industry for the Central Florida region.

On a global scale tourism is also important:

• Tourism accounts for roughly 7% of worldwide employment
• Tourism is quite economically helpful due to the labor intensity of most services
• Demand for tourism is often seasonal, but typically  provides a year round personal income for many

When looking at the specific economic impact of vacation rentals in Central Florida, some key facts emerge from a research study released in 2007-08:

• Over 14,500 jobs were created or impacted by vacation home rentals in Central Florida. However, the total economic and employment impact is most likely much larger.
• The annual economic impact of vacation home rentals to the Central Florida area was over $1.7 billion. Again, many experts indicate these are conservative figures.

The vacation home rental market is a key player in the Central Florida economy. Many potential tourists and travelers are surprised at the size, number and quality choices that vacation homes have to offer. There are over 80 vacation home communities that cater to rentals in Clermont, Davenport, Kissimmee, and Orlando. In this four county area, vacation homes link tourism to the local economy.

In short, we are proud to be part of an industry that provides a robust economic impact that lifts the living standards for many in Central Florida. Selecting a vacation home accommodation helps provide opportunity for individuals from all walks of life in Orlando and surrounding areas.

Visit our home page for profiles on numerous vacaion home communities around Central Florida. We provide various information including: video, pictures and location information for each resort community. Have a great vacation in Central Florida!

On the table is a plan to close 220 of 279 California state parks effecting some 80 million domestic and international visitors. This would include such icons as Big Sur and the Redwoods State Park. This is all in an attempt to close the state budgetary shortfall for roughly $400 million spent on the parks system. More than likely, California will end up passing higher user fees to theoretically close the gap, but this will most likely have a net negative overall economic impact on the state.

Luckily Florida tourism vis-a-vis the state park system does not face these same challenges. The problem California has is that it’s magnificent parks are an implicit part of many international traveler itineraries. Closing or dramatically raising park fees will have a spillover effect on overall international travel volume and further lower state revenues. In fact, many economists calculate a positive 2 to 1 benefit to cost multiplier ratio for California state revenues.

Although Florida tourism is down, travel to Disney and other parts of Florida are still highly viable. As value to the average international traveler increases via discounted tickets, increased attractions statewide and improved international air service, Florida will most certainly surpass California for total international travel volume. Rather than reducing attractions and park services that lure visitors and bring in tax revenues, California should follow Florida’s lead.