Florida tourism hits record levels

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) ― State officials say Florida tourism is booming, with 23.4 million visitors coming to the state in the second quarter of 2013.

According to Visit Florida, the state’s official marketing arm, there was an increase of visitors by 2.6 percent over the same period in 2012. Officials say that the second quarter of 2012 ― April to June ― is the largest second quarter for tourist visits in the state’s history.

Through the first half of 2013, Florida welcomed 49.6 million visitors ― for an increase of 4.2 percent.

And there’s more good news: visitor spending in Florida for January-May 2013 was $33.2 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.5 percent from the same period in 2012.