New tourism campaign to launch in Florida
Florida tourism is still rebounding from the pandemic. While the state's tourism agency reports international visitation is continuing to climb, it still hasn't fully reached 2019 levels of nearly 14 million a year. Visit Florida is preparing to launch a new TV and digital ad campaign this month, as part of a “brand refresh.” It’s aimed at showcasing Florida's great outdoors, as well as the state's signature attractions. More from WESH.
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» U.S. tourist spots try to win back Canadians
Inter bets on Miami as it brings its super app to the U.S.
When Brazilian digital bank Inter decided it was time to take on the US market, it didn’t look to New York or San Francisco. It planted its flag in Miami. “Miami is our home and Inter’s home,” said COO Ray Chalub, who moved here with his family two years ago to lead the expansion. Chalub has been with Inter for a decade, long enough to see the company grow from a small operation with just a thousand customers into a digital-first powerhouse. More from Refresh Miami.
Businesses buy in to innovative workforce housing project in Bradenton
Charlie Balliette remembers the day about a year ago when he heard a proposal that he knew would help his employees. As CEO of Bradenton’s S&B Metal Products, he was at a community round-table for business leaders, and Mark Vengroff – head of One Stop Housing – was pitching a plan to address the housing crisis. Vengroff’s proposal involved partnering with area employers to build a new workforce housing community. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Titusville to explore partnership with Chamber of Commerce for new economic growth program
Without a dedicated economic development agency, Titusville is looking at ways to spur growth going forward as City Council leaders worry about job growth without incentives to attract businesses. Lynda Weatherman, executive director of the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, presented the City Council with several options to replace the North Brevard Economic Development Zone, which was dissolved by the County Commission earlier this year. More from Florida Today.
Jacksonville International Airport sees record passenger traffic for summer travel
Jacksonville International Airport reached a new milestone last month that underscores the city’s growing role as a travel hub for the Southeast. Over 709,000 passengers flew through JAX in July, making it the busiest July in the airport’s history and marking a 3.1% increase over record-breaking traffic from July 2024. The surge is fueled in part by an expanding roster of airlines and routes. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Confidence, expertise, and hope
Treating patients who have run out of options elsewhere is a hallmark of Jackson Heart Institute, where Hari Mallidi, whose credentials include working at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University, has built a team with an impressive breadth and depth of talent. Mallidi says the team’s clinical expertise and Jackson’s multidisciplinary approach are unique in the region. [Sponsored report]
Transportation Trends
End of the line? Tri-Rail’s options are limited if Florida’s subsidy cut stands
And Brightline and Spirit Airlines think they’re in a financial squeeze. Tri-Rail, another of South Florida’s money-losing transportation companies, has a date certain for its potential demise: June 2027. The red flag goes up if the Florida Department of Transportation, which owns the rail corridor over which the three-county commuter line’s trains travel, refuses to restore a dramatic subsidy reduction it decided to impose earlier this year, and no replacement sources can be found.
» More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Public Safety
Is our hurricane rating system outdated? Florida researcher suggests a change
The National Hurricane Center classifies hurricanes using the 1970s-era Saffir-Simpson Scale, which uses only wind speed as its guiding variable. A Category 1 storm has wind speeds up to 95 mph, a Category 2 up to 110 mph, and so on. But Jennifer Collins, a hurricane researcher and professor at the University of South Florida’s School of Geosciences, believes there is a better way.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.