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I was pleased to read Editor John Berry's Florida Close-Up column on tourism, "Selling Florida Short," in the March 1996 issue of Florida Trend. As you state, Florida is much more than beaches and palm trees. Obviously, by now tourists are aware of our beaches and mild climate; so why not market some of the other offerings of our state to those who may be interested in much more, such as our wealth of cultural and historical resources?
As Secretary of State, it is my privilege to witness on a firsthand basis Florida's tremendous cultural growth. From symphony orchestras to museums, the performing and visual arts bring positive attention to our state, create economic development, provide educational opportunities, and enhance the quality of life for us all.
A recent statewide economic impact study of Florida's cultural industry indicated that a total of $546 million was spent in 1992-93 by non-profit organizations, universities, and colleges that comprise Florida's cultural industry. This results in a total economic impact of over $1.1 billion.
This does not include the effects of associated expenditures, including cultural tourism, which generates $3.3 billion. This translates into $6.4 billion in products, 150,000 jobs, and $2.1 billion in wages in related industries. According to the Florida Department of Commerce, one in six tourists visiting Florida attends cultural programs and events, making the cultural industry an important contributor to tourism. In terms of economic impact, cultural tourists are more important because they have longer average stays and spend more money per person during their visits.
The impact of culture and the arts on Florida's economy is expected to continue its rapid growth in the years to come. With a total budget of over $26 million in 1995-96, Florida ranked second nationally in state funding for culture and the arts, behind only New York. The 1990 U.S. Census ranked Florida fourth among the 50 states in artist population, a 76% increase over the 1980 artist population.
When Fortune 500 and other companies make comparisons of the United States' best business locations and most "livable" cities, access to cultural activities ranks high among the determining factors in siting a business. The beautification of cities, through the preservation of unique architecture and historical sites, and the availability of performing and visual arts play crucial roles in luring business and economic development to Florida.
I appreciate your insight and thank you for bringing this to the attention of your readers.
Sandra B. Mortham
Florida Secretary of State
Tallahassee
I am writing to congratulate you and Mr. Herbert Hiller on the March 1996 story, "How To Save Florida Tourism." I was pleased to encounter such a well-considered and articulate article. The perspective your article lends is one that was absent from much of the Florida business community for decades, and whose absence is more apparent every day.
You may be pleased to learn that many people in this area have aggressively circulated the article to gain support in what has been a losing battle with a "pro-sprawl" Lee County Commission. I am sure that your article encouraged many other Floridians who had begun to lose hope that we might finally recognize what we have, before we trade it in on the empty promises of convention centers and condos.
As a small business owner and Florida native, I hope other reasonable voices, like Mr. Hiller's, will find their way into the business community. Your magazine has taken a courageous and important step toward making Florida tourism and Florida itself a sustainable resource. It is with pleasure that I submit my subscription to your magazine.
L. Stuart Brown
Fort Myers
On my flight home from a week-long vacation and exploration of South and Gulf Coast Florida, I read "Marketing The Real Florida" [FT, March 1996] with a sense of irony after also seeing the clip in Talk & Predictions discussing two developers' ideas of creating a landmark tower in Tampa, both designed to resemble landmarks in other cities.
Proposals like these are symptoms of the "soullessness" developers have created in your state and why so many of us travelers fly home disillusioned after tasting a bland and uninspired local flavoring.
Though well-intentioned, plans like this try too hard to "create" an image too soon. The results are hollow attempts that build the bottom line rather than challenge the visitor's imagination and instill wonderment and intellectual growth. Preplanned places generate preplanned responses; many travelers want to be surprised, not placated.
Florida's identity crisis stems from the fact that these developers are in the driver's seat, dictating what shape your state should take - not artists or spontaneous people who could care less about returns but more about what qualities separate your region from others. That searching takes risk and patience, two things anathema to turning a buck.
Any sense of place I found in Florida was far from the tourist attractions, but I won't reveal where. I might want to come back and see them as they should be.
Jeff Nevers
Portland, Maine
MBA Tuition
In a recent survey of master's of business administration degree programs, Florida Trend reported an annual tuition cost of $12,800 at Florida Atlantic University.
This figure is more than four times higher than the actual annual cost of taking an MBA program at FAU, one of Florida's 10 public universities.
At $111.61 per credit hour for in-state students, annual MBA tuition at FAU totals about $3,125. Tuition for the complete 56-credit-hour program is $6,250 for Florida residents.
Like its sister institutions, FAU delivers top-quality education services at bargain prices. Florida students seeking MBAs and other advanced degrees will find no better deal than that which is offered by the State University System.
Stanley J. Hille
Dean, College of Business
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton
Economic Yearbook
Each year I quickly read your annual "Economic Yearbook" issue as soon as it arrives. I do this for two reasons: to update myself on the economic climate and activities around the state and to find out how our community is portrayed to your readers. This year I was surprised, even amazed, to read the comparatively short four-page article on Northwest Florida and find the largest county in the region, Escambia County, mentioned only once. Pensacola was not even mentioned.
Escambia County has one-third of the region's population and over one-third of the jobs. Pensacola has had good, steady economic growth despite the uncertainty of defense dollars. The city has received nearly $300 million in Navy construction awarded over the past year.
While counties in our part of the state continue to grow and develop, Escambia County still sets the economic tone for Northwest Florida.
The writer's lack of understanding of this area has created a disservice to the greater Pensacola area.
Frank M. Tamberrino
Senior Vice President
Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce
As much as I would like to believe Hernando County had 2,015 housing starts in 1995, the actual number is 925.
While Hernando continues to offer natural Florida living at its best, we have not seen the likes of 2,000 housing starts since the late '80s. I do not know how your estimate source could have missed so drastically.
Otherwise, thanks for supplying the accurate, thorough review of our area as well as others throughout the state.
John E. Ehlenbeck
Executive Vice President and Director of Retail Banking
Barnett Bank of the Suncoast, N.A.
Editor's Response: As the footnote indicated, these figures were estimates by the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR). For further questions, call BEBR at 904/392-0171.
