Duval County Tourist Development Council
The Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) is the governing body that oversees the collection and distribution of the local-option tourist development tax authorized to counties by §125.0104, Florida Statutes. The City exercises this authority as a county under Chapter 70, Ordinance Code, Chapter 111.600, Ordinance Code, and Chapter 666, Ordinance Code.
The TDC is composed of nine members appointed by the City Council in accordance with the following requirements: (1) the City Council President shall be a member ex officio; (2) the City Council Vice President shall be a member ex officio; (3) one member shall be a current City Council member, with preference given to a past City Council President or a City Council member with an interest and experience in tourism; (4) three members shall be owners or operators of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks or other tourist accommodations located in the General Services District and subject to the tourist development tax levied by the city; (5) one member shall have experience and background in the commercial airline industry or the Jacksonville Aviation Authority; and (6) two members shall be persons who are involved in the tourist industry and who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development. Members shall serve without compensation, pension or retirement benefits; however members may be compensated for travel expenses as provided in Chapter 106, Part 7, Ordinance Code.The TDC carries out its work via bi-monthly meetings of the full TDC.
Jacksonville currently levies a six percent tourist development tax on transient accommodations in the city. In addition to its many other duties, the TDC utilizes a portion of this tax to fund tourism promotions and events that will generate a substantial number of visitors to Jacksonville, the Beaches and Baldwin. In doing so, the TDC has a unique opportunity to impact tourism by offering grants for those applicants that are planning a convention, special event or conference in the Jacksonville area.
The TDC reviews competitive applications and allocates funding to help pay for the operational and advertising expenses of festivals, sporting events, conferences and the like, all of which have the potential of attracting substantial numbers of visitors who will book hotel rooms, eat in area restaurants, visit attractions and shop in the city while attending the supported event.
Of the six percent bed tax collected, two percent is deposited into the Sports Complex Capital Maintenance Enterprise Fund as authorized by Ordinance 2009-817-E, two percent is dedicated to paying debt service on the bonds issued to construct our Football Stadium, and the other two percent is dedicated to tourism development. The TDC uses a percentage of those funds for tourism promotion through a contract with Visit Jacksonville to advertise and market the city and its attractions to spread the word about Jacksonville as an inviting destination for visitors.
Contact
Carol Brock, Executive Director Brett Nolan, Administrator
Direct: (904) 255-5504 Direct: (904) 255-5502
Email: CarolBrock@coj.net Email: NolanB@coj.net
Tourist Development Council
117 W. Duval St., Suite 260
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 255-5505
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