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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Visit Florida plans trips to Mexico, England hoping to lure back tourists
Armed with $80 million in state and federal funding, Florida’s tourism-marketing agency is planning international trips as officials work to offset the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism industry. Dana Young, Visit Florida president and CEO, said Tuesday the agency is planning a trip to Mexico in June, with a similar excursion planned to England in July or August, depending on the status of United Kingdom border-crossing requirements. More from the News Service of Florida.
Selby Gardens receives third $1 million gift in two weeks
For the third time in two weeks, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has announced a $1 million gift toward the first phase of its master plan renovations at its downtown Sarasota campus. The organization announced that Susan and Zuheir Sofia have donated $1 million toward capital needs for the project, which is expected to begin with a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. June 3. “Selby Gardens is a jewel in our community,” Susan Sofia said in a statement. “It attracts visitors from all over the world and focuses on the environment, horticulture and education.” More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida Trend Exclusive
A project at Port Tampa Bay creates a habitat for birds
A busy port unavoidably creates environmental impacts — and it’s Chris Cooley’s job at Port Tampa Bay to minimize those impacts. As the port’s director of environmental affairs, he’s responsible for making sure the port and its tenants comply with environmental regulations and not harm Tampa Bay’s ecosystem. Sometimes, though, his job is just about the birds. Cooley explains how the port contributed to a "historically successful" 2020 migratory bird nesting season in Tampa Bay. More from Florida Trend.
Miami’s commerce experts turn conventions on their head
Sometimes you have to get a little creative to grow. That’s true with many things, and it certainly has been with helping Miami rebound from an arduous 2020 and into a resurgent, prosperous 2021 and beyond. Leading that charge are local commerce experts who know all the classic moves of business but possess the gumption to turn conventions on their head for the sake of growth, like Eric Knowles, president of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce. More from Miami Today.
Global insurance firm moving headquarters to downtown Orlando, promising new high-wage jobs
One of the country’s largest insurance brokerage firms is moving its headquarters to downtown Orlando and plans to bring with it at least 100 new high-paying jobs. AssuredPartners, a company started in 2011 in Lake Mary as a five-person operation, had been considering several states for its new headquarters, including Texas and Missouri where it has regional offices. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Travel Trends
Royal Caribbean gets first CDC go-ahead for test cruises from Miami
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave its first green light for test cruises to Royal Caribbean Group on Tuesday, the agency said in a statement. The cruise company will be able to conduct simulated cruises with volunteer passengers in late June to test out its COVID-19 protocols from PortMiami on its Freedom of the Seas ship. The test cruises are a requirement for ships that are not guaranteeing most passengers and crew on board are vaccinated against COVID-19 before revenue cruises can begin.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Business Profile
Miami-based PADL's self-serve paddleboards
In 2019, Key Biscayne native Felipe Jauregui and two childhood friends, Andres Avello and Khalil Khouri, launched Miami-based PADL, an app-based business that offers stand-up paddleboards for rent at self-serve kiosks in Florida. “Think of us as a Citi Bike,” Jauregui says, referring to the bicycle rental service that uses docking stations to store bikes between customer rides.
» Read more from Florida Trend.
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