[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6241144,"mediaKeyId","3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf","parentId",3308929,"title","Citrus County reports record hotel occupancy, national press pickups and new scallop-season marketing","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4397000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf&start=4397&end=4397","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf/thumbnail_4397000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241144/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-reports-record-hotel-occupancy-national-press-pickups-and-new-scallop-season-marketing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241144-1a78564695ef2fe7df695f7fd14db2dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197403&Signature=aaMjjNcHUG8IfAKPJwoWUHMK1-tdziU5y7vbsLpxX2kgaA2hxpawCord7CUeh~7jHUNWt6EHDle2oJiNlnBKyLaal9wj5WXRYVD8knUTSvCEaDo5E4Lf3603P7Eqptx2bEBUI7Ts6BkJproUoqWuUsbdUWeNejc4hXjSRChCJxj-f7DDj-hSxjJiYbqpGydqdxI523M9M-lY7QvpknbDH-ciutlDhs3mmWd4XhWpDDYP5aampNdlNBq6-pAGQhpDCB~u4k0dDJ4dMnJAKlGRaGHKCRFXhYsoxECoPTDj9mOb0VU0~iFkznnKe51W~bIGWniccVQ-hyzh3ztWVl9XLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Citrus County, FL ","date","2025-05-15T02:41:13Z","article","Visit Citrus staff told the Tourist Development Council on Thursday that hotel occupancy and revenue metrics are strong, the destination has attracted national media coverage and the bureau is launching targeted campaigns for scallop season.

Staff presented county hotel metrics showing occupancy in the 80% range for January–March and year‑over‑year increases in revenue per available room (RevPAR). The council heard that Plantation Kings Bay Lodge remains partially unavailable because of hurricane recovery but other properties are reporting strong demand.

On public relations, staff highlighted national coverage: a Campspot listing and follow-up coverage in Southern Living drove a surge of bookings for a local RV resort (the Cove), and other outlets named Inverness among notable small towns. Hayworth PR reported millions of impressions on several placements, including programmatic reach from camp-booking platforms and regional TV segments; staff credited the placements with immediate bookings and local business benefits.

Staff described marketing plans for scallop season: a local digital campaign with contracted production (Digital Hound and local captains), short-form commercial spots for social platforms and a sponsored promotion featuring local personalities. The bureau also is partnering with fishery/science groups for a May 27 training session on pre‑season scallop surveys; staff said more than 40 volunteers and industry participants have expressed interest and that teams will be organized to follow standard survey methodology.

Staff noted a temporary dip in social-media metrics while the bureau’s regular social manager is on family‑medical leave; PR support and an interim staff member are filling the gap and staff expect metrics to recover. The board also reviewed plans for a redesigned county welcome center with interactive displays, itineraries and rotating partner exhibits; staff said design work will be treated as a special project outside the normal line-item budget.

Why it matters: Strong hotel performance and national media exposure support local tourism-dependent businesses; new marketing and scientific monitoring for scallops aim to both drive visitors for a key season and add data for resource stewardship.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tourist Development Council - May 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff reported unusually high occupancy and RevPAR figures, national media coverage for local businesses, and a scallop-season campaign and training for scientific scallop surveys; the board heard details on social media staffing, PR placements and a planned Visitor Center redesign.","taxTitle","Citrus County, Florida","taxId",12756,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6241149,"Citrus County tourism council approves proposed budget, advances strategic-plan work",511,836000,1347000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf&start=836&end=1347","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf/thumbnail_836000.jpg","/articles/6241149/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-tourism-council-approves-proposed-budget-advances-strategic-plan-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241149-3d4881f29d2045f0987b7335bf80bad6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197403&Signature=DLMWNHEI~bGNjGVEsu~4WEVui-EmKZMeluYZP7snXozZSn-ZwGK3OtNefobAzDd3gEmrzTRQzDqyxDb5w03muiF-U4ed8K4BbO4CkFJhwF5NllRqzHUNkzQE-eGrI6CoOe8NHSBhROCSHTte~hgBYXAGvmIRGLv1TD3zrLIdcIWnUmwEoQsFgXABwx4DjTOYlFjRXxRNHR2WBIYoEGNgKeYeWKGMtfdXv6nKlp9TS6iTAXjgfayfrLbQxrzhrJN-84ZnA3rDb6RRUoHMU6MEhTyNQnVOIcB334yEIGTyoFAQzgNZ13AMOhwPGagjydH0dqTwX77LCpdCoOk42rtoJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Citrus County Tourist Development Council unanimously approved its proposed budget Thursday after staff presented a phase‑3 draft and described next steps in the county review process.

Staff described budget line changes, identified events and shows that will not be repeated this fiscal year, and highlighted new marketing shows and staffing needs for large events. The council moved the proposed budget forward with a motion by Max Schulman and a second by Mike Engels; the motion “carried unanimously,” and staff said the county’s management-and-budget office will review the proposal in the next phase.

Staff said the council will meet again with county management and budget next week and expects a finalization timeline that includes TDC presentations to the Board of County Commissioners in July and September for formal county approvals. Council members discussed aligning any contract or program start dates to fiscal/collection calendars and suggested the software procurement (short-term rental compliance) be synchronized where possible.

The director also reminded members of a May 22 strategic-plan retreat with Berkeley, which staff described as a half-day session to review survey results and set strategic priorities for the next five years.

Why it matters: Budget approval advances the TDC’s work plan for marketing, special projects and the capital reserve; the strategic plan will guide multi-year spending priorities and how TDT funds are allocated.","The Tourist Development Council unanimously approved the proposed budget and reported the marketing staff will continue phase-3 budget meetings with county management, while the council prepares for a strategic‑plan retreat in May and further BOCC approvals in July and September.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6241153,"Citrus County tourism staff push new software to find and tax short-term rentals",318,1506000,1824000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf&start=1506&end=1824","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf/thumbnail_1506000.jpg","/articles/6241153/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-tourism-staff-push-new-software-to-find-and-tax-short-term-rentals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241153-30f08d63c8c09dface03abab36ccdd2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197403&Signature=cr7m83xzAg4bJDLvM9fMIl-8UJTgo38v9gIXr6Rr09sIRa147oXwawiUCYnE-RGJOKkV95XBwnF6HS0Cvi6dxtVKElSrLIQhBPFHxs0Vv~Ov6o4lTza0hDwmqEn99SxXBquoIcuxXbG67a2BdWXA6kZDSNEhDgagbSMtTZ~ZLs63s~ncE0d0SAsBxObjdjD3xmV4FkVojc~mSE6fbLEc-Sab8QLnmMLTNBzTc3WDXgpopgG7mzCBlweNzvo~HHEQujEeiCOYJsslukfZwelG2Lc5hvdi8D2QdYSYcN8mk9lpQ-jfjUsb6HW~CPHYl4EmxV2xNGB05jL~ZAjI4cO4wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Citrus County tourism staff outlined plans Thursday to deploy GovOS software to identify short-term rentals and improve collection of the tourism development tax (TDT).

Staff said the county lacks detailed reports from the Florida Department of Revenue showing which properties remit the TDT. The proposed GovOS service scrubs online listings, compiles addresses and screenshots, and would produce lists the county could use to notify hosts and pursue compliance. Staff said other Florida counties that use the software report 95% or higher compliance after the provider’s notices and human review.

The tourism director told the council the software will identify rentals ranging from condos and houses to RVs and can break down collections by community. Staff said the system will also produce historical snapshots of listings and could support outreach to owners who have not registered or remitted taxes. The council discussed the process, including a registration component and coordination with the county tax collector, Janice Warren.

Council members asked whether local ordinances would be needed to make registration mandatory; staff said no additional local ordinance was required for TDT collection and that the collection requirement is established under state law and enforced through the Department of Revenue. Staff said the vendor scrubs listings and performs a human review before providing the county data, and the county would follow up with notices to operators and the Department of Revenue when appropriate.

Timing: staff said they planned to submit the procurement to the county this week and hoped to have contract movement to discuss in July, with an implementation goal aligned to a January start tied to fiscal-year and collection cycles.

Why it matters: Local enforcement and better data could recover significant revenue left uncollected, provide transparency about where bed taxes originate and help fund local tourism programs and facilities.","The Tourist Development Council heard staff describe plans to use GovOS software to identify and notify short-term rental operators, increase compliance with the tourism development tax, and provide data previously unavailable from the state Department of Revenue.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6241158,"Citrus County tourism leaders warn House bills could redirect visitor-tax revenue",346,3367000,3713000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf&start=3367&end=3713","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308929-c7e23839cd9f928a2728d04304a14faf/thumbnail_3367000.jpg","/articles/6241158/Citrus-County/Florida/Citrus-County-tourism-leaders-warn-House-bills-could-redirect-visitor-tax-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241158-b46702b0a37e8fa835fb027bc49997c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775197403&Signature=dyH7QRr3bsv0oGFzrM-iDAlcKnrR8JrkSl8F66AIYT740ycFdZUH0mQntTkXAASEw-lfaIr~YPX-XLEiekazwAcj6W9RB98J1xQRTI0Tvz2-Hmrq2xGgYSwvheJ~ORruJWpH4~K9aH88BRZj~o-udLx4OzouUtMRxdKPcg6hswOjBw-5isq32-6-rI3SUE15N5Vfg0x3K4GQOQZC6aHXjIcmcFj3IYQ6INyKnvZL~cUW982eNgC2lYIage-6oQ5KNkQbHy~LQZhEP~xDXfGBrCVgaJ2SDzeA8SRY6FlH5T9i7viAdfGtGVeXwbzMhIG2LqzNv6f2lI5YWJHlBpvBlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Citrus County Tourist Development Council members heard a warning Thursday that two pending Florida House bills could sharply limit how local bed taxes are used and could require new referenda on the tax.

Tourism staff summarized language in House Bill 733 and a second bill identified at the meeting as House Bill 1221 and described what the bills would do if enacted: require 75% of tourism development tax (TDT) revenue to be used as property-tax relief, eliminate TDT funding for tourism marketing and facilities, dissolve local tourism development councils and mandate a public referendum on local TDT every eight years. Staff said the bills had passed the Florida House but were not expected to pass the Senate, while noting nothing is final until votes occur.

The council’s marketing director said the county’s tourism economy relies on TDT-funded marketing to produce visitor spending, jobs and hotel room-night demand, and that shifting those dollars would amount to “political pandering” that returns only a few dollars in property-tax relief compared with what the county collects in visitor-generated economic activity. Staff presented calculations showing statewide per-household gains from the proposed change would be small—on the order of tens of dollars—while local tourism-driven economic impact and jobs would be at risk.

Members discussed outreach steps. Staff said they will continue to send talking points and updates, and encouraged members to contact local legislative representatives. The director asked the council to help tell the tourism industry’s economic story—jobs, local business revenue and the ability to respond quickly to events—if the bills move forward.

The discussion came as council members also reviewed recent marketing successes and a strategic plan process the board will finalize this summer. No formal action on the bills was taken at the meeting; staff said they will monitor the Legislature and provide additional guidance and sample messaging to the council.

Why it matters: The bills would change state-level rules about how TDT dollars are used and could remove a local revenue source used mainly for marketing, visitor centers and tourism infrastructure. Council members said those uses support jobs and local businesses and allow rapid, targeted marketing after events such as hurricanes.","Tourism officials at the Citrus County Tourist Development Council meeting urged members to watch two state House bills that would force a large share of bed-tax revenue into property-tax relief, dissolve local tourism councils and require periodic referenda; the council discussed outreach and messaging steps.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Citrus County reports record hotel occupancy, national press pickups and new scallop-season marketing

Citrus County tourism council approves proposed budget, advances strategic-plan work

Citrus County tourism staff push new software to find and tax short-term rentals

Citrus County tourism leaders warn House bills could redirect visitor-tax revenue