Dec. 4--Orlando tourism leaders signaled Wednesday that they want Orange County to steer extra money into advertising, in hopes of countering a worsening economic slump.

"I think this is a wonderful opportunity to get a good return" on extra marketing spending, Gary Sain, the president of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said during a presentation to the panel that advises the county how to spend its hotel taxes.

Sain made the comment in response to gentle prodding from International Drive hotelier and Orange County Tourist Development Council member Harris Rosen, who asked Sain to name "one wish" he had, given the increasingly dour tourism outlook. Rosen has long advocated steering more money to tourism promotion.

Still, Sain, whose agency faced criticism last month about some of its spending, was careful to say that the visitors bureau can still market the region effectively with the roughly $30 million in hotel taxes it is already slated to receive from Orange County this year.

"It's not just the size of the budget that matters," he said.

The exchange came as Orlando's tourism industry braces for what looks to be a protracted slump. On Tuesday, Orange County reported its October hotel-tax collections came in more than 9 percent below the same month last year.

Sain said November is likely to be much worse. He predicted hotel-tax receipts will be down 15 percent to 20 percent from a year ago.

The declines have tourism leaders pressing county leaders for a new injection of marketing money, similar to the $1 million emergency infusion they received after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Last month, a group of executives from Orlando's major theme parks -- including Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton, Universal Orlando President Bill Davis and Busch Entertainment Corp. Chief Marketing Officer Joe Couceiro -- met with Orange County Comptroller Martha Haynie in hopes of learning whether any excess hotel-tax money might be available this year.

Jason Garcia can be reached at jrgarcia@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5414.

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