Equine Tourism Key to Hospitality Revenue
EDITED PRESS RELEASE
OCALA/MARION COUNTY, Fla.—In honor of National Travel and Tourism Week, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners presented a proclamation at the BCC Meeting on Tuesday, May 6 recognizing NTTW and the immense contributions of the tourism industry to the local economy and quality of life. According to the latest economic impact of tourism research (conducted from April 2023-March 2024), Marion County welcomed 1.4 million visitors, who generated more than $1 billion in economic impact in just one year. Visitors spent more than $682 million directly on accommodations, restaurants, groceries, transportation, attractions, entertainment, and shopping. Additionally, visitor spending saves locals $466 in taxes per household annually.
Equine-generated dollars are a significant part of the tourism equation in the Horse Capital of the World®. According to the 2023 American Horse Council study, non-horse owning participant and spectator travel, dining and lodging equates to a $2.7 billion in total economic impact in Florida. Marion County equates to about $965 million, more than one-third of that total.
The Winter and Spring are part of the high season for Thoroughbred sales, horse shows and events, which taper off in the summer but pick up again in late September. Buyers and sellers for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales visit five sales a year for weeks at a time for the world’s leading Thoroughbred auctions annually. Thoroughbred breeders, owners and trainers with Thoroughbreds based at training tracks and foaling centers in Central Florida also make the trip to see their horses progress and shop, dine and stay.
The AHC report identified a number of large-scale equine events held annually that bring in visitors who spend including the five-week Federation Equestre Internationale with 36,000 participants and 15,000 spectators, the three-month hunter-jumper event series at Horse Shows in the Sun with 9,600 visitors, Live Oak International with more than 10,000, the North American Reining Stakes (7,850 attendees and 550 participants), CONFEPASO Youth Equitation Mundial with an estimated 3,500 attendees, and a reported 10,000 people attended the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup jumping series at the World Equestrian Center.
“Tourism is vital to Marion County’s thriving economy and high quality of life. Our natural wonders continue to attract events and visitors from all over the world,” said Loretta Shaffer, Marion County Tourist Development Director. “Travel and tourism are an economic powerhouse for our community and this week is a chance to celebrate the vital role the industry plays in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing the quality of life for our residents. It’s an essential part of our identity and prosperity that allows us to operate without a state income tax.”
In honor of NTTW, the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau will be releasing a new episode of Marion Insider’s Guide—so stay tuned to Commissioner Carl Zalak’s Facebook Page, @ZalakTheCommish, or CLICK OcalaMarion.com/the-Marion-Insiders-Guide for the next episode. FTBOA’s Tammy Gantt was featured in the first episode unveiling the Walk of Champions downtown which includes a Thoroughbred pathway featuring National Hall of Fame racehorses with Ocala connections.
As part of the celebration, the Ocala/Marion County VCB is hosting a photography contest, inviting local residents and visitors to showcase the beauty and unique character of the area. The winning submission will be featured on an official Ocala/Marion County postcard. To enter, CLICK HERE.
The Ocala/Marion County VCB won two prestigious awards for destination marketing, Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) award for Best Online Campaign, and the eSTY award for Best Family-Friendly Marketing Campaign. These achievements bring the total number of awards earned by the Ocala/Marion County VCB to 38.
Both awards recognized Ocala/Marion County’s 2024 campaign that leveraged Nativo’s native advertising platform, distributing four branded articles in contextually relevant environments, Travel Awaits and Trips to Discover. Headlines emphasized exclusivity, excitement and the destination as a hidden-gem. Custom imagery spotlighted equestrian culture, outdoor activities, and culinary experiences. The campaign delivered over 14.3 million impressions and a 52-second average time-on-content, surpassing industry benchmarks by 73%. The campaign yielded 79,542 page views and 205 content shares, marking a 600% increase in earned views from the previous year.
Tammy A. Gantt contributed to this story.
Return to the May 8 issue of Wire to Wire
