ORLANDO, Fla. — Osceola County is celebrating a record-breaking year in tourism.
New data from Tourism Economics shows the county saw about 10 million overnight visitors in 2023, and those visitors spent nearly $6.5 billion, according to Experience Kissimmee, Osceola County’s tourism marketing department.
The county collected $81 million in tourist development tax (TDT) funds last year. That surpasses the $76 million collected the previous year.
Experience Kissimmee got a percentage of that money, dispersing about $1.1 million to seven organizations across the county so they can continue to drive tourism to Osceola County.
One of those seven organizations includes Osceola Arts, and its leaders say they are hoping to use the money to attract tourists to the arts.
Experience Kissimmee recently handed Osceola Arts nearly $438,000 to use for marketing and capital improvements. Funds from Experience Kissimmee will allow the organization to expedite a new digital sign to drive tourism, according to Jeremiah Krivinchuk, chief operating officer for Osceola Arts.
“We’re talking a huge television right on 192, if you will," he said. "We’ll be able to put content from our shows, from our education programs, from our visual arts programs, and display those out on that digital screen where we didn’t have that opportunity before.”
Krivinchuk said he’s witnessed the growth and development of Osceola County through the years.
“When I first started here, there was literally nothing except for us and some orange groves,” he said.
According to Krivinchuk, Osceola Arts has been in the county since 1960 and is its designated local arts agency.
In addition to the productions and performances that attract tourism, Osceola Arts offers educational programs for the community, including art workshops, classes and summer camps for children and adults.
Some Osceola County second-graders were on a field trip at Osceola Arts in April. Krivinchuk said experiences like that for anyone, including children, can be healing and transformational. He finds meaning in his work.
“The kids will get to immerse themselves and be on stage. They get to dress up in costumes,” Krivinchuk said.
“People can learn to sing, dance. They can take pottery classes, painting classes, drawing classes,” he said.
The second part of the second-graders’ field trip involved creating art.
“Our visual arts adviser Tre (Harris) gets to tell them about the artwork that they see, ask them questions about it, but he also leads them through an art class,” Krivinchuk said.
Because Osceola Arts is a small nonprofit, there is a limited marketing budget to draw attention to the facility and drive business there.
The surge in TDT collections led Experience Kissimmee to nearly double its contribution compared to last year.
This was pleasant news for Osceola Arts.
“The storm that came through a few years ago completely knocked out the motherboard of this sign," Krivinchuk said. "They’re expensive to replace.”
Krivinchuk said Osceola Arts will also use the funds it received to relocate its offices to create proper dressing rooms and backstage spaces and boost other aspects of its marketing budget, fast-forwarding projects that have been on hold because of a lack of funds.
Experience Kissimmee receives 45% of the net TDT. “Net” means that the tax collector gets 8% of the collections before Experience Kissimmee gets its 45%. The county retains the other 55% of the net.
Experience Kissimmee President and Chief Executive Officer DT Minich said the organization's responsibility extends beyond bringing more people into Osceola County.
“It encompasses caring for the well-being of our local community," Minich said. "By reinvesting in our community, we are not only fulfilling our duty as a nonprofit organization but also reaffirming our dedication to the prosperity and well-being of everyone who calls Osceola County home. Together, we continue to embrace the transformative value of tourism.”
Ultimately, Experience Kissimmee gifted a check of $1,111,877 recently for “capital improvements or marketing of the organization” to seven organizations, including:
- Kissimmee Gateway Airport: $28,941
- Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show: $91,646
- Osceola Center For The Arts: $437,549
- Osceola Chamber: $11,576
- Saint Cloud Chamber: $11,576
- Silver Spurs, Inc. : $183,293
- Welcome Center (Historical Society) : $347,293