- March 28, 2024
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TALLAHASSEE — As state economists met Monday to revisit indices that cover everything from housing starts to unemployment, they said the state's economic health will remain largely unchanged, but warned of Europe's possible future effects on state tourism.
Overseas tourism may drop by up to 2% during the next 12 months before picking up again in 2014, according to a report from the News Service of Florida. Economists predict it will not return to robust annual growth until 2015.
“I'm seeing a decline through 2013 as Europe experiences the brunt of their recession,” Clyde Diao, an economist in Gov. Rick Scott's office, told the News Service.
Although European visitors may drop due to potentially less favorable exchange rates and economic uncertainties at home, Canadian visits to Florida are expected to increase.
The News Service reports that lower gas prices may increase Canadian visits to Florida by nearly 6% by the end of 2013. This would be a rebound after Florida lost 11.4% of Canada's tourists during the first three months of the year, largely because of high gas prices.