Sarasota, 80% for Long Key, 78% for Treasure Island, 75% for Lido Key, 74% of 

 Anna Maria Key, 72% for Estero Island, 70% for Sand Key, 61% for Manasota Key, 

 48% for Gasparilla Island, 33% for Marco Island, 30% for Longboat Key, and 20% 

 for Sanibel Island. Relatively undeveloped (less than 10% of the area) bar- 

 rier islands are Caoe Romano, Rice, Keewaydin, Pine, Bay Port, Big Hickory, 

 and the Little Gasparilla Group. Barrier islands that are protected by 

 Federal, State, or local ownership are Ten Thousand Islands, North Captiva 

 Island, Cayo Costa, Casey Key, Passage Key, Egmont Key, Mullet Key Group, 

 Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island, and Anclote Keys. 



Tourism 



Usually the more export dollars an area earns, the greater the economic 

 stability. This is true in Southwest Florida because the cost of community 

 infrastructure and social services for tourists is less than that required by 

 residents. Travel costs, population growth, and the rate of employment are 

 useful indices for evaluating the recreation and tourism industry. Examples 

 are food service, employment, lodging, and transportation related jobs. 



In Southwest Florida, the number of tourists increased from 2,611,716 in 

 1965 to 10,177,481 in 1979, an increase of 290%. Since regional statistics on 

 tourism do not exist for tourist trade expenditures and length of stay, state- 

 wide statistics are used for calculating regional statistics based on Florida 

 Department of Commerce tourism studies in 1961, 1965, 1970, 1976, and 1980. 

 In 1965, the amount spent per tourist per stay was. $159. By multiplying the 

 $159 by the number of tourists visiting Southwest Florida in 1965, the esti- 

 mated tourist expenditure was $415.3 million. Using similar calculations for 

 1980, the net economic gain since 1955 was estimated to be $2.3 billion, an 

 increase of $1.9 billion (459%). In 1961-80, the greatest average expenditure 

 per tourist was $346 in 1976 (for a total of $2.6 billion), but by 1980 the 

 average expenditure per tourist declined to about $228. Nonetheless, tourist 

 expenditures per tourist per day increased about $10 from 1976 to 1980, prob- 

 ably because tourists stayed for a shorter time and spent almost as much. 



The abundance of tourists in an area can be judged partly by the number 

 of restaurants and lodging places and their seating or sleeping capacities. 

 Hotels, motels, motor courts, rooming houses, and apartments are the main 

 lodging places. According to the annual statistical reporting units from the 

 Florida Hotel and Restaurant Commission, the number of restaurants in South- 

 west Florida increased 79% (2,932 to 5,240) from 1955 to 1980 and seating 

 capacity increased 165% (135,769 to 359,988). Although the number of lodging 

 places decreased 8% (9,406 to 8,633), the number of units increased by 34% 

 (135,299 to 180,677). A decrease in the number of restaurants and seating 

 capacity in DeSoto County was in contrast to the 106% increase in the number 

 of tourists. In the counties of Southwest Florida, the greatest percentage 

 increases in the number of restaurants in 1955-80 was 225% for Charlotte 

 County and 188% for Lee County. The percentage increase in seating capacity 

 was greatest for Charlotte County (482%) and Pasco County (385%). In all, 

 there was an increase of 2,308 lodging units (e.g., motel rooms). 



Another useful indicator of tourism is the number of people employed by 

 lodges, restuarants, and bars. As shown in Table EMP 43 in the Data Appendix, 

 employment in Southwest Florida in lodging establishments has increased nearly 

 180% (6,948 to 19,410) since 1956. In 1978, there were 19 employees per 



175 



