6/2/25 update:

According to Destinations Florida, on Friday, May 30, leaders announced an agreement on silo allocations and some tax cut provisions, but no other issues have been resolved. The Budget Conference starts Tuesday with plans to pass the full budget by June 16.

HB 7033 remains active. It still includes language that would strip Tourist Development Taxes (TDT) and dissolve all TDCs. Several Senators (and many members of the House) have made it clear they oppose these extreme changes, but nothing is off the table until a deal is signed.

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

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 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: