Marion County s economy, including its tourism industry, is not only rebounding from the year-long pandemic, it is reaching record-breaking new heights, according to county tourism and airport data.
While area home sales continue to climb at breakneck speed, and commercial and residential development continues to explode, so are the indicators that Marion County is becoming more of a tourist destination than just a stopover.
The Tourist Development Council (TDC) announced recently that it broke a record for the most monthly tourism tax revenue generated from short-term accommodations. There is 4% tax on daily room rates at hotels and other lodging throughout the county.
DeSantis says Marion seniors to receive 6,500 extra COVID-19 vaccines
Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Ocala on Friday and said that Marion County has been given 6,500 extra doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week so that local health officials can get more shots into the arms of residents ages 65 and older.
So far, 80% of the estimated 60,000 doses that Marion has received from the state have gone to seniors. But Marion still has one of lowest percentages of seniors (about 44%) who have been vaccinated when compared with other Florida counties.
The lower percentage is because Marion has a higher-than-average percentage of seniors (31.6%) of the overall population, which is 348,371.