News Release

Florida’s wildlife viewing brings welcome revenue to the state

February 27, 2008
Contact: Anne Glick, 850-922-0664

• Press kit

Florida’s rich and varied landscape and wildlife offer a wide array of opportunities for residents and tourists.  While many Floridians enjoy wildlife viewing in their back yards or close to home, almost a quarter of a million tourists with wildlife-watching plans travel to Florida each year, making Florida the No. 1 destination in the country for wildlife viewing. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released a report today showing the valuable economic contribution to the state from resident and visitor wildlife-viewing activities. The report, “The 2006 Economic Benefits of Wildlife-Viewing Recreation in Florida,” prepared by Southwick Associates, Inc., uses data from the “2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation” from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2006, 3.3 million Floridians viewed wildlife at or near their homes, and 1.6 million Floridians and tourists traveled around Florida for the sole purpose of wildlife viewing.  These viewers generated more than $3 billion in total economic impact throughout Florida. Retail sales account for approximately $1.8 billion of this total. While other areas of the economy may be experiencing a downswing, the FWC’s report finds retail sales for wildlife-viewing activities have almost doubled from $1.575 billion in 2001. Overall, 4.2 million people participated in some form of wildlife viewing in Florida in 2006.

The FWC provides further opportunities for wildlife viewing through projects such as the Great Florida Birding Trail, a 2,000-mile, self-guided highway tour, unifying 445 birding sites throughout Florida. Free guidebooks containing directions and maps make wildlife viewing a simple task for residents and visitors alike.

“The total economic impact of wildlife viewing in Florida is strong and growing, almost doubling in the past five years,” said Ken Haddad, executive director of the FWC. “We hope this report underscores that conserving habitat for fish and wildlife can be a valuable means of sustainable economic development.”

The annual economic impact of recreational hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing in Florida tops $11 billion, according to the FWC.