(BUNNELL, Fla.)—Tourism continued to thrive in Flagler County in 2021, where it remains a vital part of the local economy and provides numerous benefits to residents. Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches, the official tourism organization for Flagler County, released its 2021 Tourism Economic Impact Report, with data highlighting the crucial role of tourism in the area.
According to the report, Flagler County welcomed more than 960,000 visitors in 2021. Those visitors generated more than $550,460,00 in direct spending. The number accounts for sales in accommodations, restaurants, groceries, transportation, attractions, entertainment, and shopping in Flagler County throughout the 2021 calendar year.
When evaluating all local and state taxes paid Flagler County, including county government taxes, visitors paid 30% of the total, amounting to $62,970,700. This contribution saved each Flagler County household $512 in taxes in 2021. Which means that if tourism did not exist in Flagler County, each household would have to pay an additional $512 in taxes to maintain their current level of services and quality of life.
Tourism is Flagler County’s top economic driver, providing big gains with comparatively minimal cost. In 2021, county government revenues generated by visitors topped out at $22.5 million. The cost of serving visitors was $12.4 million in 2021, making the net positive impact of visitors more than $10 million. Notably, the cost of servicing visitors in 2021 was just 9% of Flagler County’s total budget.
Along with being a top contributor to the local economy, tourism puts more than 4,000 residents to work in Flagler County which is approximately 18% of the county’s total jobs.
“Tourism is the lifeline of our state and local economy and it’s important to keep in mind that there is an additional economic impact from visitors beyond their direct spending. Businesses that serve visitors recirculate visitors’ spending by buying goods and services to run their business along with employees spending their wages in the community. Flagler County’s economic health would diminish by 22% without our visitors so it is imperative that we continue to promote and invest in responsible tourism,” said Amy Lukasik, Executive Director for Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches.
For more details on tourism’s economic impact and statistics, along with a brief video, click here.
Media Release: Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches
