5/16/25 update:

Florida Politics article on HB7033 featuring Rob Skrob from Destinations Florida (May 15, 2025)

According to Destinations Florida, the Florida House and Senate are now at an impasse.

House leadership has doubled down, pushing for a sweeping tax package that includes HB 7033—the proposal that would eliminate funding for tourism promotion and dissolve every Tourist Development Council (TDC) in Florida. The Senate and Governor have expressed concerns about the permanent sales tax cuts the House has proposed.

The House will reconvene Tuesday, May 13, to extend session to June 30th and hold committee meetings. The Senate has made no plans to return to Tallahassee.

Kara Franker shared thoughts on the current situation in the TDC’s May 6th State of Tourism Industry presentation (time stamp 11:38 in the video)

The Florida Senate has its own version of the HB1221 bill, which does not currently include any of the TDT provisions that are in the House bill.

The Florida House passed the Tax Package (HB7033 and HB1221) with amendments on Friday, 4/25, including:

  • Severely restrict future investment in tourism marketing
  • Eliminate county tourism promotion agencies
  • Reduce (originally 100%, now 75%) the amount of non-contracted tourist development taxes to be redirected to offset property taxes.

Which if passed, would have a dire impact on our tourism economy in Monroe County and Florida overall.

Please make your voices heard using the resources below!

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Proposals to severely eliminate county tourism promotion are moving through the Florida Legislature.

Amendments to House Tax Package - HB 7033 and HB 1221 - would eliminate the use of Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenues for tourism promotion and marketing.

This legislation is a direct attack on Florida’s tourism industry and the millions of Floridians whose jobs, businesses and communities rely on visitor spending.

If passed, these bills would:

  • Eliminate or severely reduce funding for tourism marketing and facilities
  • Dissolve every Tourist Development Council in Florida by the end of the year
  • Force a referendum every eight years just to keep local tourism dollars
  • Bring about a loss of jobs in the Keys, not just at hotels and attractions, but in all segments of the community
  • Cut critical tourism funding for coral restoration, beach cleaning, funding for Keys arts and culture and more.

Tourism is Florida’s number one economic driver and visitors fund our Monroe County economy.  

If these bills pass, residents will pay more and get less. And other states will benefit from our loss. 

Now is the time to act. Destinations Florida is asking us and all of you to:

  • Contact your representatives and senators and urge them to vote NO on this legislation
  • Make your voice heard with the local media
  • Share your stories with us about how tourism impacts your business and community and what is at stake. Send to: tdcalert@fla-keys.com

The Florida Keys rely on tourism. Let’s protect our future and make our voices heard.  

RESOURCES:

REPRESENTATIVES: