Collier County is doubling down on tourism promotion as visitor numbers soften. On September 23, commissioners voted 4–1 to approve an additional $5 million in advertising, raising the total tourism budget to $11 million for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The funds will come from the Tourist Development Tax, a levy collected on overnight stays, rather than county property taxes.
Why the Increase?
Tourism Director Jay Tusa, of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, explained that Collier’s base marketing budget has hovered around $6 million since 2019. Supplemental dollars were added last year after hurricanes, and he believes another boost is necessary now to keep pace with shifting market conditions.
More than 1,000 hotel rooms have opened in recent years, with another 600 expected this year. Domestic travel is up 3%, but international visitation—especially from Canada—has dropped by double digits. According to Tusa, Collier has lost around 100,000 international visitors in 2025 alone, a decline tied to global economic and geopolitical factors. “A second round of supplemental investment will help Collier County remain competitive, protect market share and build on the success of the initial round,” he told commissioners.
Opposition from the Tourism Council Chair
The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner Chris Hall, who also chairs the Tourist Development Council. Hall argued that while the first $5 million supplement was justified to reassure visitors after storms, another round of spending now may not be necessary. “If we have it, let’s spend it when we need it,” Hall said, noting that filling hotel rooms is a market-driven challenge rather than a county responsibility.
Commissioner Bill McDaniel Jr. added that he wanted clearer evidence that advertising dollars deliver measurable returns, calling past reporting “nebulous at best.”
Defending the ROI
Marketing partners pushed back on those concerns. Barbara Karasek, co-owner of Paradise Advertising, reported that last year’s $5 million digital campaign delivered a 14-to-1 return by tracking visitors who physically arrived in Collier through mobile and credit card data. “It’s very, very targeted,” Karasek explained.
Industry representatives, including the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and executives from local resorts, also spoke in favor of the funding. They stressed that Collier competes with destinations across Florida and beyond, and that county leadership must actively help attract conventions, events, and international visitors.
The Bigger Picture
Tourism remains Collier County’s largest industry, generating more than $2.8 billion annually and supporting nearly 29,000 jobs. The additional funding, supporters argue, is essential to safeguarding that economic impact during uncertain times.
Still, the debate revealed a deeper tension: whether tourism marketing should be treated as a supplemental expense or a permanent investment. Sharon Lockwood, area general manager of the JW Marriott Marco Island, urged commissioners to integrate the $5 million into the base budget moving forward. “I don’t want to call it supplemental anymore,” she said. “I just think it should be our marketing budget.”
