County bustling to lay out welcome mat

Officials are scurrying to get ready for National Tourism Week, which begins Monday.

By MARY SPICUZZA
Published May 6, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County is on the prowl for tourists.

The staff of the county's Office of Tourism Development has been in a frenzy preparing for National Tourism Week, which begins Monday.

They're putting together gift baskets stocked with items from local businesses.

They've created a radio trivia game designed to test people's knowledge about the tourism opportunities in Hernando.

And they've even come up with a local tourism crossword puzzle.

"We do not have all of the questions yet," the office's marketing assistant and film coordinator Laurel Parmelee said. "But it will be a fun thing on how well you think you know Hernando County."

Of course, there are the obvious tourist draws, like Rogers' Christmas House Village in Brooksville, Weeki Wachee Springs, the annual motor coach rally, and the Brooksville Raid re-enactment.

But Parmelee said her office is working to teach potential visitors that the county is brimming with other exciting travel opportunities.

"There are a variety of things to do," Parmelee said. "We do promote heavily on eco-tourism for the county. The visitors come for hiking, biking, nature, antiquing. Some come for the history, the houses, and so forth."

Hernando has also been working to encourage, promote and support the creative arts as a way to draw businesses and tourists.

And all of the hard work seems to be paying off.

In January, tax revenue on hotel and motel rentals was up 11 percent compared with January 2004. Also, that "bed tax" revenue was up 31 percent from the period of September 2004 through January 2005, compared with the same period a year earlier.

This is an improvement from past years when Hernando's tourism development efforts were likened to a patient whose heart had stopped beating.

"We are flat-lined," County Commission Diane Rowden told the Times last year. "We definitely need a defibrillator."

At that time, a Times analysis of spending from 1999 through 2003 shows that 44 percent of the department's expenditures went to salaries and benefits, while only 37 percent was spent on tourism promotion.

Between 1999 and 2003, Hernando County collected $1.3-million in bed tax revenue.

Local government is also doing its part to make sure Hernando's part in next week's activities is a success.

The city of Brooksville issued a proclamation recognizing National Tourism Week and its benefits.

The County Commission has also expressed its support for Hernando's budding tourism industry.

In addition, "certificates of appreciation" are being sent to tourism-related businesses like campgrounds, hotels, and restaurants.

Parmelee said location scouts and production companies have also helped promote Hernando Tourism by filming here, citing examples like Fox's Simple Life 2 and a commercial for Tractor Supply.

"I think it's an exciting time because Hernando County has had great success in the past couple of years," Parmelee said.

"Which means the people are coming and we're constantly working to get more people here."

Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mspicuzza@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.

[Last modified May 6, 2005, 00:38:16]