February 21, 2011
Dear Florida State Senators:
As independent Florida hoteliers, we respectfully urge you to vote for Senate Bill 376. This legislation would clarify that the service fees charged by online travel agencies for the facilitation of hotel bookings in Florida are not taxable under transient occupancy tax laws.
Independent hotel owners rely on the services and marketing support provided by online travel agencies to help book hotel rooms that would otherwise go empty. Many independent hotels lack the marketing infrastructure of large hotel chains like Marriott and our lodging companies often partner with online travel companies to stay competitive —particularly du ring slower travel seasons. In this way, owners of independent hotels can reach a global audience of travelers interested in coming to Florida who otherwise might not consider our properties had it not been for the visibility we experience because of online partners like Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline and Travelocity.
Recent proposals to collect a new tax on the services provided by on online travel companies as room rent levied under transient occupancy tax laws threatens to cause disproportionate harm on the small business owners who operate independent hotels. Tourism is already one of the most taxed industries. This tax policy favored by cash strapped municipalities would make Florida more expensive to visit and create a disincentive for online tra vel providers to do business in many smaller Florida communities. But you can help clarify the law once and for all and stop new taxes on tourism by supporting Senate Bill 376 and ensure a major demand channel for tourism remains an important, vibrant par t of the Florida tourism ecosystem.
For the sake of Florida tourism and the small business owners who operate independent hotels in the state, we urge you to vote for this common -sense legislation to prevent discriminatory, burdensome taxes from being applied on online travel companies. Ple ase vote for Senate Bill 376.
Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.
Respectfully yours,
Bruce Craul Doug Battrow, Co/Owner Chief Operating Officer Frank DaCosta, Director of Revenue Legendary, Inc. Destiny Palms Properties include Emerald Grande Kissimmee, FL Destin, FL Gustavo J. Irazoqui Mario Casal, Jr Vice President Director of Sales & Marketing Econolodge International Dr The Surfcomber Hotel – South Beach Orlando, FL Miami Beach, Fl Alicia Wilder Martin Mehnert General Manager Director of Sales & Marketing Edgewater Inn Sole On The Ocean, Independent Resort Ocala, FL Sunny Is les Beach (Miami Beach), FL Anne Bush Roberto Hoffmann Director of Revenue Director of Revenue/E-commerce Enclave Suites Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort Orlando, FL Sunny Isles Beach, FL Marianne Sutton Odyssey Leach General Manager General Manager Executive Inn Royal Plaza Kissimmee, FL Downtown Disney- Lake Buena Vista, FL Angie Wilkes Barbara Bowden Sales Manager General Manager Families First The Peabody Orlando Kissimmee, FL Orlando, FL
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Joanne Miller Dana Boot General Manager Director of Revenue Fiesta Ocean Lake Eve Resort St. Augustine, FL Orlando, FL Neal Jackson Louis Robbins General Manager Managing Director Florida Choice Nickelodeon Family Suites Kissimmee, FL Lake Buena Vista, FL Dana Martina Luis Flores Director of Sales Vice President of Revenue Management Florida Hotel and Conference Center Westgate Resorts, CFI Inc. (NOTE: Operate 7 resorts Orlando, FL in the Greater Orlando Area) Orlando, Florida Jeff Chase Director of Sales Cory Campbell Florida Magic Vacations Director of Revenue Kissimmee, FL Buena Vista Palace, A LXR Resort Lake Buena Vista (Downtown Disney ), FL Jeff Macle General Manager Sandy Wade, VP of Marketing Galleria Palms Tania McCall, Director of Leisure Sales Kissimmee, FL Sky Hotels and Resorts Properties Include: Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Bob Rivera Spa, Palisades Resort, Enclave Suites, Hawthorn Suites Owner Seaworld, Hawthorn Suites Lake Buena Vista, and Coral Global Vacations Cay Resort Kissimmee, FL Orlando, FL
Mike Rind Janice Edwards-Diaz General Manager Director of Leisure Sales Hampton Inn Jacksonville Reunion Resort- A Wyndham Grand Hotel Jacksonville, FL Reunion, FL
Gustavo J. Irazoqui Rafael Blanes Vice President Director of Travel Industry Sales Howard Johnson Inn Maingate East Gaylord Palms Kissimmee, FL Kissimmee, FL
Chris Mott
General Manager
LaQuinta Jax Airport
Jacksonville, FL
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Paul Naas Fred Keen, General Manager Director of Marketing/Internet Sales Chad Buchanan, Director of Sales Rosen Hotels Baymont Properties Include: Rosen Shingle Creek, Rosen Plaza Kissimmee, FL Hotel, Rosen Centre Hotel, Rosen Inn Pointe Orlando, Clarion Inn LBV, Quality Inn International, Rosen Inn Tracy Buchanan Orlando Director of Revenue Orlando, FL Legacy Grand Kissimmee, FL Mitch Berman VP of Revenue Management Jeff Chase Floridays Orlando Resort Director of Sales Point Orlando Universal Resort Magical Memories Orlando, FL Orlando, FL
RD Wilkerson Alpesh N. Khushal Director of Revenue Owner Integra Resorts Masters Inn Orlando, FL Kissimmee, FL
Sandy Carey Debbie Norris Director of Sales Director of Sales FantasyWorld Resort Monumental Movieland Kissimmee, FL Orlando, FL
Donna Jollimore Rafaela Ortiz General manager Resort Sales Manager Beachcomber Beach Resort Oak Plantation St Pete Beach, FL Kissimmee, FL
Linda Rideout Consuelo Zuluaga Hotel Manager Director of Sales Dolphin Beach Resort Oak Plantation St Pete Beach, FL Kissimmee, FL
Roxann Vasalakis Dawn Marsh VP Operations Director of Revenue Grand Plaza Beachfront Resort Hotel & Conference One Ocean Resort Center Atlantic Beach, FL St Pete Beach, FL
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Robert Czyszczon Debbie Norris General Manager Director of Sales Plaza Beach Hotel Beachfront Resort Orlando Monumental Bayview Plaza Waterfront Resort Orlando, FL Bay Palms Waterfront Resort St Pete Beach, FL Sara Honahan Director of Revenue Chris Davison Orlando Vista Hotel VP Operations Orlando, FL Island Inn Sanibel Island, FL Dottie Arnold General Manager Heather Hall Polynesian Isles Resort General Manager Kissimmee, FL Casa Loma Cape Coral, FL Connie Rickenbrode Sales Manager Brian Roessler Ponte Vedra Inn & Club General Manager Amelia Island, FL Lighthouse Resort Inn and Suites Fort Myers Beach, FL Frank Ashadi Owner Virginia Whetstone Quality Inn Historic District Director of Sales Jacksonville, FL Bayfront Inn Jacksonville, FL Jay Leonard, General Manager Mike Rezmer, Director of E-commerce Sheila Baker Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Director of Sales Orlando, FL ABVI Kissimmee, FL Scott Kiernan, Owner Jeff Woerz, Owner Fred Zaquoia James Shakes, General Manager Director of Sales Rent a Kingdom Advantage Vacation Homes Kissimmee, FL Kissimmee, FL Lloyd Hart, Owner Landon Miller Veronica Rodriguez, Director of Sales General Manager Jen Ries, Sales Manager Alhambra Inn & Suites Margaritte Rodriguez, Accountant St. Augustine, FL Rent A Villa Kissimmee, FL
Janareth Sakov
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General Manager Gustavo J. Irazoqui Amelia Hotel and Suites Vice President Jacksonville, FL Rodeway Inn Maingate Kissimmee, FL Vanessa Sorreno Oddesy Leach, General Manager Director of Sales Kellie Bauer, Director of Revenue American Vacation Homes Royal Plaza Kissimmee, FL Orlando, FL
Vanessa Rodriguez Brian Wong Director of Sales General Manager America's Best Value Inn Suites at Old Town Yulee, FL Kissimmee, FL
Misty Howsheltzer Brandi Durling Sales Manager Director of Sales Avenida Inn & Suites Summer Bay Resort St. Augustine, FL Kissimmee, FL
Anil Patel Vicki Smith Owner Director of Sales Baymeadows Inn & Suites Summer Beach Resort Jacksonville, FL St. Augustine, FL
Frank DaCosta Terry Teaman, Owner Director of Revenue Jason Teaman, General Manager Baymont Fla Mall Kara Tores, Director of Sales Orlando, FL Terry's Vacation Villas Kissimmee, FL Fred Keen General Manager Eddie Cooper, General Manager Baymont Kissimmee Sybil Saiz, Sales Manager Kissimmee, FL The EO Inn Orlando, FL Shannon Lake General Manager Rafaela Ortiz, Resort Sales Manager Beachers Lodge Consuelo Zuluaga, Director of Sales St. Augustine, FL The Inn at Oak Plantation Kissimmee, FL Janinen Funk, Owner Dale Funk, General Manager Joane Foster Beachtree Villas General Manager Kissimmee, FL Westgate Inn Kissimmee, FL
Keith Green, General Manager Aline Phillips
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AJ Ruff, Director of Sales General Manager Best Western JTB Windsor Hills Jacksonville, FL Orlando, FL
Nitash Patel, Owner Frank DaCosta Sara Uselman, General Manager Director of Revenue Jamie Mullens, Director of Sales Wingate Fl Mall Best Western Oceanfront Orlando, FL Jacksonville, FL Brenda Solena Carole Forner, General Manager Director of Sales & Marketing Malerie Myers, Director of Sales Airport Regency Hotel Best Western Southside Miami, FL Jacksonville, FL Kevin McLarney Jeff Valone General Manager General Manager Ocean Five Hotel Best Western Spanish Inn Miami, FL St. Augustine, FL Roberto Hoffman Frank Ashadi Director of Revenue Management Owner Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort Budget Inn Miami, FL Jacksonville, FL Simon Nemni Sevdalena Nedelcheva Owner General Manager RED South Beach Hotel Casa Del Mar Royal South Beach Hotel St. Augustine, FL Miami, FL
Nancy Gordon Veronica Medina Owner Owner Casablanca Bed & Breakfast Nassau Suites St. Augustine, FL Beachcomber Hotel Miami, FL Brian Smith Director of Revenue Eddie Nunez Celebration Hotel General Manager Orlando, FL Kent Hotel Colony Hotel Suites on South Beach Frank Butterworth Miami, FL Internet Marketing Manager Celebration Suites @ Old Town Kissimmee, FL
Lisa Williams Veronica Schwitzer
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Director of Revenue Director of Sales & Marketing Legacy Resorts Indian Creek Hotel Orlando, FL Miami, FL
Lilly Alvares Benjamin Regalado Sales Manager Revenue Manager Champions World Resort Townhouse Hotel Kissimmee, FL Miami, FL
Eric Jones Luigi Tasellari General Manager General Manager Classic Families Rentals Clinton Hotel Kissimmee, FL Miami, FL
Don Hansen, General Manager Arif Butt Robert Greenburg, Director of Sales Owner, General Manager Comfort Inn Oceanfront South Beach Plaza St. Augustine, FL South Beach Villas Miami, FL Paresh Patel Owner Mauricio Rocabado Comfort Orange Park General Manager Orange Park, FL Cavalier Hotel Miami, FL Jimmy Williams General Manager Elvis Taylor Conch House General Manager Jacksonville, FL The Beacon Hotel Miami, FL Jay Patel Owner Marty Bussey Country Inn & Suites Di rector of Revenue Management Jacksonville, FL Trump International Beach Resort Miami, FL Julie Jenson Resort Sales Manager Christian Moreno Cypress Palms Director of Revenue Management Kissimmee, FL Sagamore Hotel Miami, FL
Anshu Jain Juan Fernandez Owner Director of Sales & Marketing Days Inn Universal Maingate Claridge Hotel Orlando, FL Miami, FL
Lauren Swerdloff Michael Knapp
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eCommerce Manager Director of Revenue Management South Beach Group National Hotel Properties Include: Catalina Hotel & Beach Club, Hotel Miami, FL Chelsea, Chesterfield Hotel & Suites, Metropole South Beach, Riviera South Beach, Hotel Shelley, W hitelaw Eduardo Almeida Hotel, Hollywood Beach Suites, Hostel & Hotel Director of Sales & Marketing Miami, FL Pegaso Hotel Group Properties Include: Best Miami, River Park Hotel & Ros Guttoso Suites, Ocean Surf Hotel, Venezia Hotel, Holidays Golden General Manager Glades Hotel, Hotel Roma Goden Glades Resor t, Hawaii Prime Hotels Hotel, Atlantic Beach Hotel, Airways Inn Airport Hotel Properties Include: Prime Hotel Impala, Prime Miami, FL Hotel Claremont, Prime Hotel La Flora Miami, FL Dawn Van Lanen General Manager Lynn Wilson Tropical Beach Resorts Owner Sarasota, FL Coombs House Inn Apalachicola, FL Joan Hubbard Owner Skip Frink Pelican Path B&B by the Sea Innkeeper Jacksonville Beach, FL The Old Carrabelle Hotel Carrabelle, FL Roland Martino Owner Sandy Rousse Beach Drive Inn Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper St. Petersburg, FL Equus Meadow Inn Tampa, FL Daniel and JoAnna Jimenez Owners Bipin Parekh Lake Morton Bed and Breakfast Owner Lakeland, FL Ambassador Inn Kissimmee, FL
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