PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 15, 2020) – The Charlotte County Tourist Development Council is pleased to announce the reappointment of Kathy Burnam as a committee member. The Charlotte County Commission appointed Burnam during its Sept. 8, 2020 meeting.
Burnam is the marketing/events manager for Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda, Fla. She will serve a four-year term. Her first appointment to the TDC was in 2011.
By state statute, the TDC consists of nine tourism community leaders, including representatives from local government. Other members are Charlotte County Commissioner Bill Truex; Punta Gorda Mayor Nancy Prafke; Punta Gorda City Councilmember Jaha Cummings; Keith Farlow, Farlow’s on the Water; David Haynes, Tarpon Rental Services; Robin Madden, Islander Properties; Janet Watermeier, Visual Arts Center; and Kelly Williamson, Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside.
The Charlotte County TDC oversees the uses of tourist development tax collected within the county and provides guidance to the Charlotte County Tourism Department, called the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor and Convention Bureau. Charlotte County collects a 5% tourist development tax on accommodation stays six months or less, in addition to the 7% sales tax. The first 3% is spent for tourism promotion and marketing while the fourth and fifth percent are used to fund debt service on the bond for renovations at the Charlotte Sports Park. The VCB’s mission is to brand, market, and sell the area as Florida’s premier ecotourism, leisure, sports, and meeting and conference destination for the continual economic benefit of the community.
During fiscal year 2018-2019 (Oct. 1, 2018-Sept. 30, 2019), Charlotte County welcomed an estimated 656,200 visitors. Tourism generated an estimated $427 million in direct expenditures and made an estimated $619.6 million economic impact.
Information on Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is available at PureFlorida.com. For additional information, call 941-743-1900.
