Cultural Tourism Toolkit
The Division of Arts and Culture presents this toolkit to assist cultural organizations in finding new ways to collaborate with the tourism industry. Florida’s diverse arts and culture are a prime reason to visit the Sunshine State. This toolkit will be expanded and revised on an ongoing basis, so check back often for updates.
Florida’s tourism industry is one of the largest in the nation.
With nearly 113 million visitors per year, tourists contributed $109 billion to the state’s economy in 2016, according to Visit Florida.
The arts and cultural community contribute to a large part of this activity, with more than 65% of visitors taking part in at least one culturally based activity during their trips.
Tourists come to Florida for many reasons beyond the beaches and theme parks. They visit our museums, our historic sites, our galleries and our theatres. They may include a cultural activity along with other activities, or their reasons for visiting may be entirely for what Florida’s diverse arts and culture offers.
There are many good reasons for the arts and culture industry to actively engage with the tourism industry.
A recent study by Mandala Research found that cultural tourists spend 60% more per trip than those that do not take part in cultural activities. These visitors also stay longer and take more trips per year. Cultural tourists represent a market to be tapped to generate new audiences and new income.
