Tourist tax revenues were up this past season compared to the 2024/2025 season, continuing a positive, multi-year trend in visitor numbers and spending. In response, the Indian River County Tourism Development Council plans to increase funding for organizations that help promote the county as a desirable destination. Room occupancy and spending were up across the community during the season, according to Ben Earman, the county’s vice president of tourism and marketing. Strong numbers continued even as Vero’s busy winter and spring came to an end. In May, the most recent month for which results are available, bed tax revenue showed an 8.7 percent increase compared to May 2025. “We’re proud of another successful tourism season and the positive impact visitors continue to have on Indian River County’s economy,” Earman said. “Every visitor who chooses to stay here supports local businesses, creates jobs, and helps strengthen our community. Visit Indian River County will continue investing in innovative marketing strategies that showcase everything our destination has to offer.” Earman said the bed tax numbers are up in part because Visit Indian River County’s marketing continues to promote the entire county, not just its spectacular beaches. “Our goal is to ensure visitors discover everything our destination has to offer,” he said. This year the agency expanded its “WHY Indian River County” marketing campaign, which tells the compelling stories behind various county destinations, Earman said. Over the past year, the group has highlighted some of the area’s top homegrown events and festivals that add to the area’s character, including the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, Under the Oaks Fine Arts Show in Riverside Park and the Vero Beach Air Show, Earman said. “Visitors increasingly want destinations that feel unique, rather than commercialized,” he said. “And that’s where Indian River County excels.” The Tourist Development Council’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year includes $1,330,182 for Visit Indian River County, the county’s main tourism marketing organization, a 10.8-percent increase over the prior year. The council, which gets its funding from bed tax revenue, also budgeted: <ul> <li>$322,801 for Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, up 11.8 percent from last year.</li> <li>$310,000 for the Treasure Coast Sports Commission, up 3.3 percent.</li> <li>$57,500 for the Indian River County Historical Society, up 15 percent</li> <li> $27,817 for Coastal Connections, up 12.5 percent.</li> </ul> Vero Heritage was awarded $85,000 for next year, up 156 percent over last year, mostly to help pay for planned expansions to the Heritage Center and Citrus Museum and the Citrus Label tour, said County Commissioner Joe Flescher, who is chairman of the Tourism Development Council this year. Vero Beach Art Club will receive $17,817, up 78.2 percent from last year, with most of the cash going to promote Under the Oaks Fine Art Show, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year. Main Street Vero Beach will be awarded $12,400, up from zero funding last year. The Indian River Cultural Council, which publishes 15,000 copies of its Cultural Arts Guide each year, as well as maintaining an online version of the calendar of events, did not apply for funding from the Tourist Development Council this year. “They reached out and said their support from the chamber is enough,” said Flescher. “I thought that was extremely noble of them. They said they can operate on what they already have.” The council will distribute a total of $2,213,517 in funding for next year, which represents an average increase of 10 percent across the board, Flescher said. “There have been years when we had to send back the applicants’ requests and ask them to trim some things,” he added. “But we didn’t have to do that this year. It all worked out.” <em>Photos by Joshua Kodis</em> [gallery ids="234778,234779"]