duval county tourist development council

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Get to know Visit Jacksonville

Learn more about the Visit Jacksonville's mission and organizational structure.

We put all the information you need about Jacksonville and its beaches right at your fingertips.

Get to know Visit Jacksonville! The official travel information resource for the Jacksonville area puts all the information you need about Jacksonville and the beaches right at your fingertips.

Visit Jacksonville is a Destinations International accredited Destination Marketing Organization contracted since 1996 by the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) to champion the growth of leisure and business tourism in Jacksonville.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is a group of industry professionals and business leaders who serve as a policy board and as the liaison between Visit Jacksonville staff, the Duval County Tourist Development Council and the Partnership. All major decisions are approved by the Board. Board nominations are made by the nominating committee and approved by the current Board.

Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC)

The Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) is appointed by the current City Council President. It consists of nine partners: three city council partners, three hotel operators/owners and three travel industry representatives. The City Council President serves as the chairman of the TDC.

Visit Jacksonville Funding

Visit Jacksonville is funded by bed tax dollars. The 6 percent bed tax is placed on all hotel rooms in Duval County. Of the 6 percent tax collected, 2 percent is allocated to the Sports Complex Upkeep Fund, 2 percent to the bond EverBank Stadium and 2 percent to the Tourist Development Council of Duval County. Part of the TDC's portion is used to fund Visit Jacksonville.

Visit Jacksonville Mission and Vision

Vision: Visit Jacksonville is the leading DESTINATION resource for visitors and community stakeholders and a powerful economic development engine for Greater Jacksonville. Mission: To create and globally market, sell and promote an exceptional visitor experience resulting in greater community prosperity, pride and vitality.

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Visit Jacksonville Board of Directors

Learn more about Visit Jacksonville's Board of Directors. The Board of Directors includes professionals from travel and tourism organizations and organizations that support travel and tourism throughout Jacksonville, Florida.

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 Florida Statutes.

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Visit Jacksonville is the official travel information resource for the Jacksonville area and puts all the information you need about our city right at your fingertips. Visit Jacksonville was also most recently voted one of the Jacksonville Business Journal's Best Places to Work!

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Tourism council wants a visitor center for Jacksonville

With eyes on what St. Augustine and Savannah have built, the Duval County Tourist Development Council decided Wednesday to go back for a second round of bids in the attempt to set up a museum-like visitor center in Jacksonville.

City Council President Lori Boyer, who doubles as chairwoman of the tourism board, said, “We have great history. … We have great amenities. Why can’t we have a visitor center of that quality?”

Boyer said the effort might require more money than the city has devoted in the past to its visitor centers, but it could be worth it if the next round of bids can bring proposals for how to boost the current level of service.

“You want to be a tourist destination? Let’s be a tourist destination,” Boyer said. “If we’re going to spend $7 million on promoting tourism, let’s get some mojo out of it.”

The $7 million figure is the total budget for the Tourist Development Council. The money comes from a tax on hotel rooms.

The Tourist Development Council has a contact with Visit Jacksonville, a non-profit organization, to promote tourism. That deal expires on Oct. 1; and the Tourist Development Council will be awarding new contracts in three areas: convention sales, marketing and tourist bureau services.

The council, which is comprised of City Council members and tourism industry representatives, voted unanimously to enter into negotiations for two of the contracts. Visit Jacksonville got the nod for convention sales. Visit Jacksonville also got selected as the top choice for marketing services in a partnership with the Dalton Agency of Jacksonville.

But the council decided to reject all proposals for tourism bureau services. Visit Jacksonville and 5ivecanons/Bold City Tours were the two organizations that sought the contract.

Visit Jacksonville has sites at Jacksonville International Airport, the Beaches, and in downtown at The Jacksonville Landing and the Greenleaf Building where out-of-town visitors can get information about the city’s attractions. The Greenleaf Building is the location of Visit Jacksonville’s office.

This year’s budget for running the tourist bureaus is about $315,000. Visit Jacksonville is interested in continuing in that role, and it put in a proposal with an annual cost of about $728,000.

Boyer said she didn’t really see anything in that proposal that raises the city’s game in offering a place where visitors can go and see presentations, such as video shows about the city’s history and attractions, in addition to the usual fare of brochures and handouts.

“What we’d like to hear,” she said, “is the person who has that vision and that story.”

David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581

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Self-Reporting Taxes

Convention and tourist development tax.

• Tourist Development Taxes are levied and collected under F.S. 212.03 at 4%.
• Convention Development Taxes are levied and collected under F.S. 212.0305 at 2%.
• The TDT is paid by the tenants or guests and is not a tax on the property owner.
• The TDT is in addition to the 7.5% taxes collected for sales and use which is remitted to the State of Florida, Department of Revenue (DOR).
• A transient rental carries a total tax rate of 13.5%.
• The collection allowance is 2.5% of the first $1,200.00 of total tax collected (Line 6)
• The collection allowance cannot exceed $30.00
• If an excess collection allowance is taken an invoice will be sent for the difference
• The collection allowance cannot be taken on delinquent or noncompliant returns
• Penalties cannot exceed 50% of the total taxes due (Line 6)
• Penalties cannot be less than $50.00
• Interest is assessed at a variable annual interest rate of the total taxes due which is set by the  State of Florida, Department of Revenue (DOR) and is accrued to the account daily.

Public Service Tax 

• This is not a tax on the seller of the service.
• It is to be paid by, and collected from, the purchaser at the time of the sale of taxable services within the City of Jacksonville.
• The seller is responsible for the collection of taxes due on taxable services, regardless of whether the seller collected the tax from the purchaser or not.  
• Electricity 10%
• Metered or bottled gas 10%
• Fuel oil, $0.04/gallon (as defined in Sec. 792.101 )
• Penalties cannot exceed 25% of the total taxes due (Line 5 or Line 10)
• Penalties cannot be less than $15.00
• Interest is assessed at the rate of 1% of the total taxes due per month delinquent, accrued daily.
• There is no maximum interest amount on delinquent PST returns.

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Candidates and committees, election information, your elections office, felon restoration information, general information, military/overseas voting, poll workers, public records requests, research/ data, student voter registration, vote by mail, voter education & outreach, voter information.

Meet your Supervisor of Elections

Jerry Holland, Supervisor of Elections Duval County, Florida

At the end of 24 years of elected public service, Holland was elected again without opposition to return to the office of the Duval County Supervisor of Elections.In the current age of elections, the most important priority is to build public trust through transparency and community outreach.Holland is looking forward to finding a new home for the elections office and increasing voter awareness.

Elected without opposition in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 as Duval County Appraiser, his priority was taking an aggressive approach investigating and combating exemption fraud.As of the end of his second term more than 3000 property owners have been found in non-compliance and over $19 million in back taxes, penalties and interest were lien for payment.Holland says, “It is important to make sure those entitled to exemptions receive them, but those not entitled, must pay the consequences.”

Disseminating accurate information and providing solutions to taxpayers is an integral part of the service offerings of the Duval County Property Appraiser’s Office, with the investment in staff, technology and improvements to ensure accuracy and transparency in all areas of operations within the office.

Prior, Jerry served as Supervisor of Elections for ten years, restoring trust in local elections. During that time, he registered more than 64,415 students in Countywide Student Voter Registration Drives. His office was known for having the most current election system for tabulation and voter check-in in the state, welcoming over 68 countries visiting from around the world to see how successful elections were conducted.

Holland also served on the Jacksonville City Council and as the President of the Jacksonville City Council. While on the City Council Holland introduced and saw adopted 1999-897-E Legislation to give low-income seniors an additional Homestead Exemption and 2003-599-E Legislation that established an exemption for Granny Flats, the living quarters of grandparents and parents living with their children.

Holland served as President of the Northeast Regional Planning Council, President of the Florida State Association of Supervisor of Elections, Chairman, Duval County Tourist Development Council, Finance Chair, Jacksonville City Council and Treasurer Florida Association of Property Appraisers.

Holland was chosen twice as Elected Official of the Year by the Northside Business Leaders Inc.

Holland earned a Master's degree in Education and his Bachelor of Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics from the University of North Florida. He is a State of Florida certified General Contractor, Real Estate Broker and Certified Florida Appraiser. In addition, holds the following Certifications: Certified Election/Registration Administration, Master Florida Certified Election Professional.

Dick Kravitz

District: 19 -- Republican

Committee membership for 2006 - 2008 term.

• Safety & Security Council ( Chair ) 8/15/2007 - 11/4/2008
• Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety 11/21/2006 - 7/15/2007
• Economic Expansion & Infrastructure Council ( Vice Chair ) 11/21/2006 - 7/15/2007
• Joint Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Reform 5/10/2007 - 6/12/2007
• Policy & Budget Council 12/12/2006 - 11/4/2008
• Probable Cause Panel 5/27/2008 - 11/4/2008
• Rules & Calendar Council 8/15/2007 - 11/4/2008
• Committee on 21st Century Competitiveness 11/21/2006 - 7/15/2007

Biographical Information

Legislative service, other public services, affiliations, photo gallery.

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