Monday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 9/24/2018

Florida sees boost in visitation

A new study shows Florida got a big uptick in visitation in late 2017, in part from an unlikely source: hurricane evacuees. The hospitality research conducted by Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate firm, concluded visitation to the Sunshine State in the latter part of 2017 increased dramatically. More from the Florida Times-Union.

Corporate land owner has a $124M deal to cut algae-based pollution in southwest Florida

A Fort Myers-based public company will build a 35,192-acre water-storage site in Hendry County to reduce algae-based pollution of an estuary. The South Florida Water Management District approved a permit for Alico Inc. to build and maintain the water-storage site, which will cost Florida taxpayers $124 million over 11 years. More from the Real Deal.

Vacation rental home activity surges in rural Florida

Vacation rental home business is surging even in Florida’s rural counties according to a new report from the vacation rental home marketing firm Airbnb, which showed its business growth had more than doubled in the past year in Florida’s small counties. See the news release from Airbnb here. Also read more at Florida Politics.

Yachting industry using Florida FTZs to facilitate sales, repairs

The Lauderdale Marine Center, a yacht basin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, received designation as a Foreign Trade Zone last year, providing benefits to yacht buyers, sellers and repairers. Other yacht berths in the Sunshine State are seeking to follow suit. More from the American Journal of Transportation.

UF testing tree covers to combat citrus greening

Citrus trees at UF are getting new outfits in the hopes of combatting citrus greening disease, which has dealt a $4 billion blow to Florida’s economy. Scott Thompson and Tommy Thayer from the Tree Defender Company developed individual protective covers made of finely woven polyvinyl mesh to prevent trees from acquiring citrus greening disease, which kills them. More from the Alligator.

Florida Small Business
Business incubators in Florida

Business incubation programs are set up and run by private companies and public institutions to help create and grow young businesses. Incubators provide these businesses with financial support and technical services. The following link is a list of business incubator programs in Florida.

» More from the Florida Small Business.

Business Profile
Salt Room Lakeland

Humans over the millennia have come up with thousands of uses for salt — in cooking, of course — but not many have explored its therapeutic properties. Ashley Zamzow, manager and co-owner of the Salt Room Lakeland, is looking to change that.