Happy National Tourism Week

Well, maybe it isn’t an “official” holiday and there is no one that will come in a big red suit in the middle of the night and bring you presents, but National Tourism Week is upon us and it is definitely worth celebrating. Because we live in Florida, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, many of us know the value the tourism industry brings to our community. Last year alone, it brought $1.2 billion in economic impact to Polk County and the industry as a whole employs more than 18,000 people in Polk County. Polk Outpost 27, Polk County’s official visitor information center saw more than 50,000 people pass through the doors this past year as well. Tourism is big business in the state of Florida and here in Polk County. National Tourism Week will be officially celebrated in Polk County on Thursday with a National Tourism Week Luncheon at The Lakeland Center. The keynote speaker for the event will be Berkeley Young of Young Strategies. Berkeley is an authority in the world of Tourism/Travel research, marketing and management.

So, be sure to take some time to celebrate tourism this week. Just don’t expect a day off from work because of the holiday.