The tourism industry in Alachua County is more substantial than many imagine
May 21, 2024
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – This week marks National Travel and Tourism Week, and we have lots to celebrate here in Alachua County.
Each year, millions come here from around the world to enjoy our world-class educational and healthcare institutions, our natural wonders, sporting events, music festivals, and much more. Last year alone, tourism had a local economic impact of more than $738 million, according to data from Visit Gainesville/Alachua County.
Is that all? I read somewhere that Savannah, a city of almost the same population as Gainesville , took in about $4,000,000,000.
One day, you will make a positive comment about where you choose to live, and I’ll spit out my coffee. Savanah is a destination tourism town. Gainesville is in the center of a state with two major draws: beaches and theme parks. What is amazing is that we get as many folks as we do since no one north of us says, “Honey, let’s load up the station wagon and take the family to Gainesville this year!” The tourism office does an amazing job and helped with a record-breaking year in terms of bed tax collections.
One day, you’ll actually be truthful instead of regurgitating the progressive propaganda they’ve instructed you to.
By the way, I never denigrated the Tourism Department. They do a great job with what they have to work with. Must be difficult to have to filter the good from the filth and homeless when it practically lives outside your front door.
Instead of leading with “Great Job!”, you post this negative comment about this amazing place we live in. This is odd because you come across as a “Love it or leave it” kind of guy.
I did say they do a great job. Missed that? 2nd sentence.
I’m talking about your initial post. It’s always a negative.
Always negative? It was a question but you liberals choose to be offended by practically everything.
The truth is at times painful, no wonder you avoid it. Do a piece about the filth around the downtown buildings, then you’ll have credibility.
Tell us the real truth, it probably won’t be coffee you’ll be spitting out.
What a revealing comment. I’ll stick with coffee, but thanks for having the courage to share your drinking habits. The truth will set you free.
And with what you tell, you never will be.
I’m from Savannah. Gainesville is about 1/2 the size of Savannah. And it’s a destination city. You’re comparing apples to watermelons.
Population vs population.
Since you brought it to our attention though, the story referred to Alachua County and the positive impact of tourism. If memory serves me correctly, Alachua County is a bit larger in area than Savannah proper, but let let know if that’s incorrect.
Why would I compare a county size to an individual city size? On a city scale, they are still a 2:1 ratio with Gainesville having 148,000 residents and Savannah having 340,000 residents. Gainesville is in the middle of the state and is NOT a destination city. Savannah is very near a coast and tourism is its second largest income sector. Again, apples to watermelons.
You may want to recheck your numbers…
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/savannahcitygeorgia/POP010210
I’m the one who made the comparison of Gainesville, (which lies in Alachua County), of which the latter has approximately 285k population, and Savannah which has a population of approximately 147k. It was simply to show the difference in two cities who almost mirror one another in population. Granted, the revenue is based on tourism – I think I said that as well.
Gainesville, as you’ve noted, is not a tourists’ destination. Maybe that’s a budget expense that should be cut, but I also noted, the department is doing the best with what they have.
May want to do more with those apples you have.
Tourism is funded entirely from the Bed Tax paid by visitors to the County. You may want to actually read the article. Tourism is doing an amazing job.
Late to the party again or just take that long for something to penetrate that thick skull of yours? Tourism contributes to the bed tax and contrary to what you think, anyone who stays in a hotel in Gainesville pays. Whether they’re a resident of the county or just visiting. Unfortunately, some leaders in the community felt homeowners should also have to collect a tax on those renting their property because they should get a piece of that pie. Just something else that’s been taken away from homeowners, like the city charging for parking permits to homeowners who rent space during football games.
Now if you’re talking about tourism funding the Visit Gainesville/Alachua County Department that’s a different story and not mentioned in the article. If I’m incorrect I’ll admit it. Too bad they haven’t given you permission to do that yet.
Remember, try the whole truth and not pieces and parts you’ve been instructed to tell.
I did mean the Tourism office, my mistake. According to the article, “Throughout the state of Florida, every paid overnight stay at a lodging accommodation, campground, short-term vacation rental, or other transient rental for less than six months is charged a bed tax.” So, if your point is that if I live here and rent a hotel room, I pay the bed tax, you are correct. But the vast majority are visitors. You seem to stray from the article’s point for the rest of this comment.
The article makes no mention of “throughout the state of Florida…”
Didn’t stray, just reenforced policies implemented by local jurisdiction. Are you in disagreement? 15 years ago a homeowner didn’t have to purchase a permit to sell parking on property he or she owned.
Then again, one could walk through downtown Gainesville without tripping over someone’s bed.
Again, that is wrong; that is a direct quote from the article. Seriously, read it.
Why don’t you cut and paste or refer me to the paragraph.
Maybe you forgot to add that to the official press release as posted by Chronicle staff?
Nobody comes to a health care center for enjoyment.
Some do. If there’s a Proctologist on staff.
The Propaganda Office of Alachua County should be ashamed of themselves for this press release putting Shands patients in the same category as voluntary tourists. They do not choose to “vacation” here.
A guy in Tallahassee does not think “Should I go to a motel in Bay County and visit the beach, or should I go pay the 5% bed tax in Alachua County while I visit Shands so a doctor can take the cancer out of my brain or else I die next week?” It is not a vacation location choice.
The County Commission should pass an ordinance exempting hospital patients and their families from paying the 5% tourist bed tax. But they won’t, because it is all about revenue income for the county employees to squander. For shame, Alachua County government. Your moral values are as bankrupt as your beloved Celebration Pointe.
Nope – Healthcare industry should not be exempt from taxes. Shands already pays damn near nothing… zero real estate taxes for one. The fact they have such a small tax liability is a shame…a racket. They get away with showing no profit on paper while buying more and more real estate for their portfolio..all while removing those property from the tax roll