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Lakeland Chamber reports visitor inquiries up about 50% and spotlights childcare as top business issue
Summary
Amy Wiggins, president and CEO of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, told the City Commission that visitor-center inquiries rose about 50% year-over-year, and she urged local leaders to make childcare and early-learning investments to retain workers and grow the local workforce.
Amy Wiggins, president and CEO of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Lakeland City Commission on Feb. 17 that the chamber saw a roughly 50% increase in visitor inquiries in 2024 compared with 2023 and has sent relocation packets to hundreds of prospective residents and employers. "Visitor inquiries increased by nearly 50% over 2023," Wiggins said, noting the chamber mails relocation packets and distributes visitor guides to realtors, the hospital residency program and employers.
Wiggins used the annual update to list the chamber's 2024 achievements, including continued advocacy in Tallahassee, development of workforce and leadership programs such as Emerge Lakeland and Leadership Lakeland, and a fourth consecutive five‑star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "We have been officially accredited since 1968 … we've received 5 stars, which is the highest designation, for the past 20 years," she said.
She singled out childcare and early education as a pressing business concern. Citing a Florida Chamber study, Wiggins said the state-level economic loss tied to childcare shortages is large and locally noted childcare can amount to nearly 18% of median household income in Polk County. "That is both a provider issue and a cost issue," she said, urging partnerships with the Florida Chamber and the Early Learning Coalition and offering to convene a task force.
Commissioners and attendees responded with personal stories and support for the focus on early learning. A resident who previously worked in the nonprofit sector described choosing to leave paid work because of childcare costs and said such choices shape career trajectories.
Wiggins also described business-support services housed at the chamber — including SCORE, Prospera and the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Center — and previewed planned 2025 initiatives such as Leadership Lakeland class nominations and a new "Being Athena" leadership program.
The update closed with an invitation to visit the chamber's visitor center and review a printed visitor packet and the chamber’s 2024 visitor-center report that are included in the commission's meeting packet.
