TOURISM

Brightline’s highly-anticipated Miami-to-Orlando line will begin on Friday, Sept. 22, the rail company announced.

The old Daytona Mall in Daytona Beach will soon be home to an aquarium with a shark tank, a stingray touch pool, and eventually a rainforest.

Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker, an Orlando-based cyber security firm weighed in on the recent cyber attack in Las Vegas resorts and casinos.

After a delay this summer, Brightline says it’s ready to open its Miami to Orlando line later this month.

Beach destinations were popular this year and outdoor recreation remains a top priority.

Summer vacation is mostly over across the U.S., with kids already headed back to school. So now is the perfect time to start planning next year's beach vacation.

Comptroller Phil Diamond released Orange County's Tourist Development Tax Numbers for the month of July.

Daytona Beach is the latest Florida city to find less tourists paying it a visit. Volusia County tourism tax collections show the numbers dropped in May and June consecutively.

Tourist development tax collections were down for another month in Orange County from an all-time high in March.

A task force formed to make recommendations on how to spend Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax (TDT) dollars brought its findings to county leaders on Tuesday.

A day after meeting for the final time, Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax Citizen Task Force offered its recommendations to a council made up of local mayors and tourism leaders.

Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax Citizen Task Force has already made recommendations to spend the bulk of the county’s tourism tax on big venues like the county convention center or the Amway Arena.

Two of Florida’s top tourist transportation services have announced the decision to merge efforts shuttling guests between Orlando International Airport and Walt Disney World resorts, presenting “Mears Connect Driven by Sunshine.”

Orange County’s Tourist Development Tax collections in May showed decreases from the prior month and year, according to Comptroller Phil Diamond.

The Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour is in Orlando through the weekend.

What’s your nickname for Orlando International Airport? Some people say OIA. Some people say MCO, which is the airport’s official code.

This week, anchors Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden invited Erich Schuttauf with the American Association for Nude Recreation to talk about what is quite a lucrative business in the Sunshine State.

A task force met Friday to hear a final round of presentations from groups hoping for a share of Orange County’s tourism tax revenue.

Documents released on Wednesday show 52 eligible projects that could receive funding from Orange County’s tourism development tax revenue.

With tourism back in full force post-pandemic, Seminole County is looking to draw in more visitors and more money north of Orlando, which includes planning for a multimillion-dollar indoor sports facility.

Equality Florida issued a travel advisory Wednesday, telling people that ‘Florida may not be a safe place to visit or take up residence.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would not go into specifics Friday, but he promised that he and the state Legislature would take “very, very strong action” in the coming weeks against Disney for an agreement that serves to strip the new district that oversees Disney World property of much of its power.

More than 9,000 cheerleaders and dancers and 20,000 spectators are in Daytona Beach this week for the annual College Cheer and Dance National Championship.

Are you fantasizing about lounging on a quiet beach or taking your chances with Lady Luck in a gambling-friendly destination on your next vacation?

Since 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has limited and, in many cases, completely halted international travel, but that's finally changing.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated things to do in Orlando on Tripadvisor.

With an overwhelmingly positive response from the community, Brevard Zoo officials in charge of the project said they hope to break ground on construction next year on an aquarium worth millions of dollars.

Universal Orlando is making major progress on its future attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast.

A committee designed to review and make recommendations on Orange County's Tourist Development Tax (TDT) met for the first time on Wednesday.

Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell said lawmakers can get pulled into some pretty strange positions by Florida’s special interest groups.

Budget airline Spirit is launching a new nonstop service to and from Orlando International Airport.

If you fly in or out of Orlando International Airport’s new $2.8 billion Terminal C and you have to trek to or from the old terminals A and B, a new pedestrian bridge should make your long walk significantly smoother.

This is one of the busiest times of year in Daytona Beach. On the heels of Speedweek comes Bike Week, spring break, and new events to the area.

Last year saw a record number of guns intercepted at airport checkpoints across the country.

Travel + Leisure magazine reminds us that Florida still has ample small towns to visit.

SeaWorld Orlando offers limited-time BOGO sale for SeaWorld, Aquatica for the price of one.

Tourist Development Tax collections in Orange County were the highest collected on record for the month of December.

The number of passengers coming through Orlando International Airport surpassed 50 million last year, but has not reached pre-pandemic numbers yet.

Florida tourism leaders continue to fret over a lag in international visitors as the industry anticipates tourism numbers for the final three months of 2022.

What’s your nickname for Orlando International Airport? Some people say OIA. Some people say MCO, which is the airport’s official code.

Big changes could be coming to Bike Week and Biketoberfest. Daytona Beach city leaders are looking to change what businesses can be in town during the events and where the events are held.

If you want to ride Splash Mountain at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, this would be the weekend to do so.

This week, anchors Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden invited Erich Schuttauf with the American Association for Nude Recreation to talk about what is quite a lucrative business in the Sunshine State.

The National Park Service says it will reopen part of Playalinda Beach and Canaveral National Seashore Tuesday after spending two months trying to restore the beach following hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

Passengers from all over the country are scrambling to make new travel plans in the wake of nationwide flight cancellations.

Families hoping to catch a Southwest Airlines flight after days of cancellations, missing luggage and missed family connections are suffering through another wave of scrubbed flights.

Orlando International Airport is seeing major travel disruptions again Tuesday.

Florida and winter have a flaky relationship, let's make the most of it.

Some passengers at Orlando International Airport are looking at delays and cancellations as a powerful winter storm is moving from the Plains and Midwest to the East Coast.

The CEO of Port Canaveral is projecting another record year of revenue ahead, while looking back at the growth over the past year at the port.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is bringing back its Christmas decor for the holidays and adding a new nighttime show that will take visitors on a journey through space.

The Space Coast Office of Tourism has kicked off a special marketing campaign to assure potential visitors that Brevard County has avoided the brunt of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole — and the county is fully open for tourism, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.

The annual IAAPA Expo opened at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando to showcase the latest innovations in an industry that has to deliver on thrills, chills and spills.

Workers in Central Florida’s tourism industry are pushing to raise their minimum wage to at least $18 an hour, arguing that rising rents and inflation have cut into their ability to make ends meet.

September 2022 TDT collections show 48.6% increase over 2021.

Last year was a roller coaster ride for theme parks worldwide, with U.S. water parks approaching pre-pandemic levels and parks in China struggling with lockdowns.

The sound of rumbling engines is once again filling the streets of Daytona Beach with Thursday officially kicking off the 30th Annual Biketoberfest.

Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond announced August 2022 set its own bar with the highest Tourist Development Tax collections for the month on record.

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced the removal of its pre-cruise COVID-19 testing, vaccination and masking requirements for all guests.

SeaWorld is reopening its parks in Florida on Saturday after closing for Hurricane Ian this week.

People looking to evacuate because of Hurricane Ian’s potential effects on Florida could be coming to Orlando.

University of Central Florida professor Dr. Sean Snaith addressed members of Orange County’s Tourist Development Council on Friday to discuss how a potential recession could impact the area’s booming travel industry.

Visitors to the new terminal at Orlando International Airport may want to wear sunscreen.

Orange County, which has already broken a number of monthly tourism tax collections records in 2022, is continuing that streak after earning the highest annual collections ever in the fiscal year.

On the third and last day of Disney’s D23 Expo, the company not only shared big news from Disney theme parks but from its cruise line.

Just a couple of months following the debut of the Disney Wish, Disney Cruise Line has officially unveiled the name of its sixth ship.

The owners of a downtown Orlando bar say they are confused after state health inspectors gave conflicting reports on whether dogs can accompany their customers inside.

The beaches in Central Florida proved to provide much needed relief from the heat and a place for relaxation for thousands this Labor Day Weekend.

One of Florida’s most iconic spots to surf has been ranked as one of the most threatened by rising sea levels, according to a national study by the Surfrider Foundation.

Brevard County is counting down to more traffic jams and large crowds with NASA moving the next Artemis I launch attempt to 2:17 Saturday afternoon.

Disney updated its vaccination requirements for guests traveling on its cruise line.

National Roller Coaster Day is Tuesday, Aug. 16, and SeaWorld Orlando is challenging guests to ride all of the park’s roller coasters in one day.

The board of county commissioners in Marion County is looking to help boost the area's tourism industry with a new logo.

Hundreds of people across the country are still waiting for ticket refunds after the Orlando Music Festival was cancelled.

New numbers by Orange County for the month of May show tourist tax collections are up 65.8% compared to the same time last year.

Members of the Tourist Development Council in Brevard County met to discuss the future of the $300 million Westin resort set to replace the International Palms in Cocoa Beach.

Disney Imagineers dropped a few new details about the planned reimagining of the Splash Mountain ride at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

SeaWorld is giving military veterans, as well as their families and friends, the opportunity to visit some of its parks for free starting this weekend.

Disney prepares to reopen Vacation Club Top of the World Lounge.

Used cooking oil collected from restaurants near Orlando area attractions is being collected and converted into a fuel that can help fly the tourists who visit there.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is getting a double dose of terror from the horror film studio Blumhouse.

In Central Florida, selfie lovers can snap away in parks, at museums and gardens, outside popular murals, and even at venues dedicated to the self-portrait.

Checking out every Disney park in the world is a dream for super fans. Disney is now offering a vacation that allows people to do just that, along with some other iconic sites and luxury accommodations along the way.

Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal, discussed the economic condition of the company’s theme parks at the 24th Annual Credit Suisse Communications Conference Tuesday.

This week, anchors Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden invited Erich Schuttauf with the American Association for Nude Recreation to talk about what is quite a lucrative business in the Sunshine State.

Orange County officials reported another record month for tourism tax collections.

Traditionally, the only way to get to that island was by taking a row boat, a novelty that many tourists enjoyed.

The unofficial start of summer is offering a troubling look at what lies ahead for travelers during the peak vacation season.

New Smyrna Beach closed off beach access ramps Monday a little before noon amid the large crowds.

Bite30 returns June 1 and runs through July 10, presented by Publix Aprons Cooking School and hosted by Orlando Weekly.

The summer travel demand is high and Delta Air Lines says it’s preparing for the challenges that come with that by cutting flights back.

Melbourne City Council unanimously approved bringing the Jimmy Buffett-themed Margaritaville Landing and Riverwalk to life in Brevard County, according to the city’s Mayor Paul Alfrey.

Flames erupt from the smokestack of a Carnival cruise ship as it was docking in Grand Turk.

Over 100,000 people have attended MegaCons in previous years over the four-day period.

Between January and March 2022, the governor’s office said there were an estimated 36 million visitors to the state, consisting of both domestic travelers and those visiting from abroad.

While the company touted its gains to investors, it did not say anything about the dismantling of the special district that governs Walt Disney World.

SeaWorld’s first few months of the fiscal year beat expectations for revenue, while attendance levels beat pre-pandemic years.

The county’s TDT collections for March 2022 were millions of dollars higher than any monthly collection report published in the last several fiscal years.

There will be two fewer guard chairs starting this summer, and only about a half-mile of beach along the boardwalk will be patrolled.

Travel is booming, and the Federal Aviation Administration is trying to cut down on flight disruptions.