 Traveler’s taxes often make travelling very expensive.  Look at the percentage of taxes paid on an airline ticket, a hotel room, or a rental car.

 Less unique locales – the same products are often available throughout the world.  A lot of people travel to experience unique cultures and goods (shopping), having similar products will deter people from travelling.

 With the cost of gasoline on the rise, many travelers may have to adjust their spending (or vacation length) in order to pay for additional fuel charges.

 Leisure travelers are not simply on vacation – people are interconnected at all times; which means, news stories and events (good or bad) are spread instantaneously throughout the world.  Business meetings no longer need to be conducted face-to-face; as a result, less business travelers.

 Lack of communication between tourism offices (visitors bureaus) and local police departments to protect tourists – local governments do not provide enough economic and manpower resources to protect visitors and tourism facilities.

 Baby boom generation is aging but still travelling and involved in many different physical activities.  Tourism officials will be facing all sorts of safety issues; mobile medical units may be needed, others will need special diets and readily available pharmacies open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.  Pandemic and/or pandemic scares (i.e. SARS, Anthrax, Ebola, etc.)- nervous public may cease to visit a locale due to health related safety issues.

 Visa restrictions becoming more complicated – frustrate travelers  Street demonstrations, riots, terrorism, wars etc. – give negative publicity to the host locale, but also make travel more difficult and less appealing.

 The harsh restrictions, increasing prices, and hassle of travelling are becoming more prominent and the potential for it to affect the tourism industry is very present.

 Swamp lands drained, rivers rerouted, canals constructed, overuse of freshwater for irrigation and industry leads to deforestation = Everglades threatened  Florida panther endangered, manatee on Endangered Species list

 Severe water shortages = urban development restrictions & sink holes  Coastlines (Gulf & Atlantic sides) are ecologically sensitive – the mangrove trees that protect the shoreline and provide habitat for many species are being removed for urban development

 Florida is said to be vulnerable to hurricanes from June 1 st to November 30 th.  With the combination of hurricanes and summer season in most areas where tourists generally come from, Florida tourism experiences a lull 3-6 months of the year.

 Population Growth rate is the highest in USA (1000 people/day move to Florida). Therefore more infrastructure (roads, buildings, etc.) is needed but it conflicts with tourist activities based on natural attractions  Immigration (legal & illegal) from the Caribbean & Central/South America fleeing political & economic problems. This has changed the cultural face of Florida, and conflicts have risen over language, politics & economic development.

 From Latin America = high crime rate in Miami (logical entry point for billions of dollars in illegal drugs)

 Tourists have been robbed and murdered, sometimes on roads in rental cars. Mid 1980’s held back development of tourist trade.