Governor Scott announced today that according to preliminary estimates* released by VISIT FLORIDA - the state’s official tourism marketing corporation – 89.3 million visitors came to Florida in 2012, an increase of 2.3 percent over 2011. This represents a record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 87.3 million in 2011.

The world’s largest Legoland is on track to open in Florida this autumn, and become the group’s fifth park, following other openings in Denmark, Germany, the UK and California. Legoland Florida, a 150-acre site in Cypress Gardens, will have more than 50 rides, show and attractions.

The two British tourists shot dead in a Florida ghetto could have taken a wrong turn whilst trying to find a 24-hour diner on foot, according to the police. Detectives described it as “very possible” that the tourists, under the influence of alcohol, could have easily “lost their bearings”, taken a wrong turn, and ended up in streets of Newtown, a notorious housing project.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with the suspected killing of two British tourists in Florida. The bodies of the victims were found peppered with bullets in a deprived residential area renowned for gang violence.

Florida tourism officials have credited a $32 million fund donated by BP to encourage holidaymakers to visit despite the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for “saving the summer”. New figures show that visitor numbers to the state rose during the first months of the crisis, which tourism officials credit to an advertising funded by a $32 million donation from BP.

A spat has broken out between BP and Florida’s tourism industry after the oil giant’s refusal to inject a further $50 million to encourage travellers to visit the Sunshine State.