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Key Economic Indicators
Florida is well known for its sunshine and sandy beaches. These two factors dictate the success of two pillars of Florida's economy: citrus and tourism. Millions of visitors come to Florida each year bringing billions of dollars into the state. Florida citrus is shipped around the world in cartons or as juice, bringing millions more to our state.
Why Is This Important?
Tourism is the backbone of the state's economy. Tourism is responsible for nearly one million jobs, tens of billions of dollars in spending and almost $4 billion in sales tax revenue.
The citrus industry and related business employs approximately 90,000 people. Citrus generates a $9 billion impact on the economy and nearly $1 billion in tax revenues. More than 90 percent of the country's orange juice is made from Florida-grown oranges.
How Is Florida Doing?
Florida continues to be a highly desired destination for travelers. More than 84 million visitors chose to visit the Sunshine State in 2008, a figure that has remained constant over the last three years despite the world wide recession. Those visitors spent more than $65 billion in 2008, a figure that is also remaining constant over the past three years.
Citrus shipments showed a slight decrease in 2008 after two years of exporting more than 14 million cartons the previous two years.
Scorecard
What Influences Key Economic Indicators?
Indicators such as these tell a major part of an entire economic story. If the national economy is doing well, the state economy is likely to follow, and vice-versa. There are factors that can allow a state to be doing better than the national economy or sometimes worse.
Weather can play a significant role. Hurricanes can damage regional tourism, or in the case of the 2004 and 2005 seasons, impact many portions of the state for months. Storm surge and resulting beach erosion can have devastating effects on tourism. Hurricanes can also destroy citrus groves and other businesses.
However, for the large majority of each year, Florida weather is the greatest positive influence on tourism and citrus. People visit Florida because of the weather, and citrus is grown in this state because of a climate that is uniquely suitable for such a crop.
Other factors, such as citrus canker and greening, can have a large impact on the citrus industry, while man-made catastrophes such as pollution and oil spills, can have devastating effects on local tourism.
What Is the State's Role?
The state is committed to fostering a strong agricultural industry, especially the citrus industry. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has instituted a program designed to help keep the industry vibrant through nursery and budwood protection, disease detection and plans for combating canker and greening. The program is called the Citrus Health Response Program.
The Florida Department of Citrus markets this portion of Florida agriculture around the world through advertising, public relations, and displays. Over 80 percent of the department's annual budget of approximately $58 million is spent on advertising and promotional activities for Florida citrus in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.
Florida, through the Department of Citrus, regulates numerous aspects of the industry including research, production, fertilizing, maturity standards, harvesting, licensing, transportation, labeling, packaging and processing.
The State of Florida strongly supports local efforts to promote Florida tourism around the country and around the world. The Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development works in conjunction with the Florida Commission on Tourism to market the many benefits of visiting the Sunshine State. The Commission's direct support organization, VISIT FLORIDA, directs the state's efforts.
VISIT FLORIDA directs the worldwide marketing efforts through the production of print and broadcast promotions, works with the world's major travel writers and broadcasters, sells Florida tourism at trade shows worldwide, tracks tourism trends, conducts surveys and operates the five official Florida welcome centers on major highways and in the Florida Capitol building.
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