/tags/florida-tourism florida tourism en-US WLRN Tue, 10 Sep 2024 18:27:51 GMT /government-politics/2024-09-10/monroe-keys-tourism-tdc-whistleblower-lawsuit Months after the Florida Keys’ top tourism director was fired following several audits of the Tourist Development Council, the county now faces a whistleblower lawsuit. Tue, 10 Sep 2024 18:27:51 GMT /government-politics/2024-09-10/monroe-keys-tourism-tdc-whistleblower-lawsuit Julia Cooper /law-justice/2024-08-08/florida-keys-pr-director-newman-charges-perjury Andy Newman, whose company provides public relations services to the Florida Keys' Tourist Development Council, faces 14 counts each of perjury and issuing false statements — both misdemeanors that could mean jail time — following allegations of financial mismanagement at the tourism agency. Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:48:09 GMT /law-justice/2024-08-08/florida-keys-pr-director-newman-charges-perjury Julia Cooper /news/2023-04-27/key-west-resort-men-only-rules-discrimination A Florida Keys woman complained to the state that the popular Island House resort discriminates against cisgender women, trans and non-binary with its men-only policy. Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:50:19 GMT /news/2023-04-27/key-west-resort-men-only-rules-discrimination Gwen Filosa /news/2023-03-24/key-west-remains-divided-over-cruise-ships-did-the-city-break-its-own-rule-on-how-many-can-come People in Key West have long been divided over the cruise ship industry's impact on the small island. Voters put big limits on cruise traffic in 2020 but state lawmakers canceled their wishes. Activists are up in arms about two days this year when two ships docked side by side at the same time. Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:10:00 GMT /news/2023-03-24/key-west-remains-divided-over-cruise-ships-did-the-city-break-its-own-rule-on-how-many-can-come Gwen Filosa /news/2023-03-16/a-happy-family-sculpture-has-greeted-millions-arriving-at-key-wests-airport-so-where-did-it-go The Seward Johnson sculptures were removed from its outside perch this week from the Key West International Airport and sent to New York for refurbishing. Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:28:49 GMT /news/2023-03-16/a-happy-family-sculpture-has-greeted-millions-arriving-at-key-wests-airport-so-where-did-it-go Gwen Filosa /news/2023-03-10/key-west-banned-fire-acts-at-its-nightly-sunset-celebration-after-a-mishap-can-a-fire-spinner-and-a-popular-tradition-survive Street performers at the popular Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square in Key West can juggle knives or defy gravity with acrobatic stunts — but since a tourist suffered a burn in January, they can’t use fire in their acts until further notice. A full-time fire spinner is grappling with the fire shutdown, while others fear for the popular show's future. Fri, 10 Mar 2023 21:20:36 GMT /news/2023-03-10/key-west-banned-fire-acts-at-its-nightly-sunset-celebration-after-a-mishap-can-a-fire-spinner-and-a-popular-tradition-survive Gwen Filosa /travel/2022-11-18/u-s-visitors-boost-floridas-tourism-industry-but-international-travel-is-struggling Visit Florida estimates the state attracted 35 million travelers during the third quarter, a 6.9 percent increase from 2021. The estimate was also 8% above the same period of 2019, before the pandemic. Fri, 18 Nov 2022 11:30:00 GMT /travel/2022-11-18/u-s-visitors-boost-floridas-tourism-industry-but-international-travel-is-struggling Jim Turner - News Service of Florida /travel/2022-09-20/new-orlando-terminal-is-2-8-billion-bet-on-florida-tourism Orlando International Airport unveils a brand new terminal Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:30:00 GMT /travel/2022-09-20/new-orlando-terminal-is-2-8-billion-bet-on-florida-tourism Mike Schneider / Associated Press /news/2022-08-17/florida-tourism-continues-to-bounce-back-from-a-pandemic-drop Tourism in Florida during the first half of 2022 was up 20 percent from the same period last year and was higher than during the first six months of 2019, the last full year of travel before the pandemic. Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:30:00 GMT /news/2022-08-17/florida-tourism-continues-to-bounce-back-from-a-pandemic-drop The News Service of Florida /news/2022-06-10/visit-florida-president-gets-a-raise-amid-tourism-rebound With the state drawing record numbers of tourists from other parts of the country as the industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young received an 8.6% pay boost. Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:54:26 GMT /news/2022-06-10/visit-florida-president-gets-a-raise-amid-tourism-rebound Jim Turner | News Service of Florida