ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – New numbers show tourists staying in Central Florida hotels brought in more than $359 million in tourist development taxes last fiscal year. That amount is expected to increase significantly next year.
The money comes from a 6% “bed tax” for people staying in area hotels for less than six months. The increase in revenue from that tax was one of the main topics at the final Tourist Development Council meeting for the year.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is the council chair and he is very optimistic.
“The opening of Epic Universe and the period of time next year is going to definitely result in us seeing a bump in our tourism business,” Demings said.
[RELATED: Orange County’s tourist tax collections break records. Here’s what the money is used for and why]
Three new Epic Universal hotels have already started accepting reservations.
This means more tourists and more tax dollars to fund things like the $90-million, four-level facility for UCF’s stadium, which just broke ground Thursday, and the $400-million expansion of Camping World Stadium.
“I’m excited about the expansion of Camping World Stadium that will allow us to continue to compete, to get world-class sporting events and entertainment events here in this community,” Demings said. “I’m really excited about Camping World because of what it means to the entire neighborhood around it. It’s transitioning that neighborhood into a better quality of life for the people who live there.”
The next meeting of the Tourist Development Council will be on Friday, March 7 at 9:30 a.m.
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