Tourism continues to drive Indian River County’s economy, with visitors flashing cash and swiping credit cards to the tune of more than $90 million last year just for overnight accommodations, generating $4.67 million in bed tax revenue for the county government – and numbers are up substantially this year. To keep the momentum going, the County Commission on June 3 bumped the Tourist Development Council’s budget 22 percent, increasing the allocation to $1.95 million. The money will go to eight organizations, including a first-time payment of $10,000 to help Vero Beach Art Club promote its popular Under the Oaks Art Show, which draws thousands of visitors each year to the barrier island, where the lion’s share of county tourism revenue originates. From October 2024 through March 2025, county bed tax revenue increased 17.2 percent compared to the same period last year, up from $2.8 million to about $3.3 million. In the month of March, visitors spent $16.4 million on accommodations, generating $818,000 in bed tax revenue, a 22 percent increase compared to last March. Voters approved raising the tourist tax from 4 percent to 5 percent in November 2024. But even before factoring in that increase, tourism in the county has grown, said Ben Earman, vice president of tourism and marketing at the Indian River Chamber of Commerce. “It has simply been a strong year for tourism in Indian River County,” Earman said. “Travelers today are increasingly seeking experiences – air boating, river exploration, nature trails and birdwatching” – as well as beachgoing, he added. The county’s marketing is evolving with media and demographic trends, Earman said. Visit Indian River County is increasing its digital footprint across streaming platforms and investing more in digital billboards, gas station TVs and hotel networks, he said. It’s important to remember that residents do not pay the bed tax, Earman said. It applies only to visitors staying at local accommodations. The only time a resident would pay is if they took a “staycation” at a local establishment. The bulk of the Tourist Development Council money – $1.2 million – will go to the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, which manages Visit Indian River County, the county’s tourism and marketing department. Other significant disbursements include $28,730 for the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, an increase of 14.5 percent; $55,000 for the Cultural Council of Indian River County, an increase of 47.5 percent; $33,200 for Vero Heritage, an 8.5 percent increase; and $20,000 for eco-tourism organization Coastal Connections, which coordinates beach clean-ups throughout the year and monitors nesting sea turtles, an increase of 81.8 percent. Aside from money assigned to the Tourist Development Council, bed tax revenue helps fund beach renourishment projects and pay lease obligations for the Jackie Robinson Training Complex. How long the current, successful system of promoting Indian River County tourism will be around remains to be seen. On April 25, lawmakers in the Florida House of Representatives passed HB 7033, a bill that would abolish all 62 county Tourist Development Councils and redirect bed tax dollars toward property tax credits. The thinking was that Florida’s tourist attractions are well-known enough that the industry doesn’t need to advertise. Another bill, HB 1211, would cause all tourist development taxes to expire every eight years. The two bills sent shockwaves through the Florida tourism industry, which generated $127.7 billion in economic impact in 2023, according to Visit Florida. HB 7033 has been sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee. HB 1211 was withdrawn from consideration on May 3.