While the state government may be reluctant to bring more retirees into Florida, a new survey from the University of South Florida has found that county and Chamber of Commerce officials have no qualms about it. They are recruiting them very aggressively and using a wide variety of resources. MacManus also found that business leaders in small counties are particularly likely to increase their recruitment efforts. But counties won't necessarily be competing with each other. Forty-nine percent of respondents in larger counties consider planned retirement communities to be major draws for retirees.
Rural areas rely more heavily on their rustic environment to lure seniors.
Eighty percent of respondents from rural areas say retirees tend to come to rural areas because they are less crowded, and 73 percent say they come because of the rural nature of the area. Florida's counties are already savvy to the fact that they have something different to offer that other counties don't have. Additionally, county governments and Chamber of Commerce representatives are trying new approaches. At the same time, counties and business leaders are shifting resources away from traditional recruitment techniques such as trade shows, according to MacManus. This study is the second part of a survey MacManus has conducted about retirees in Florida.