Booming Naples Florida Economy Helps Businesses And Careers Grow Fast

By Jony Mozen


Naples is a beautiful city on the Gulf Coast in Collier County, FL. The tourism sector is the cornerstone of the Naples Florida economy, which is now vibrant with a fast-growing retail sector, real estate developments and other business growth. The city and surrounding communities in the metro area are also a retiree paradise, and their huge nest eggs lavishly spent on property and retail goods further fuel the economic growth and high rate of job creation.

The 10 miles of pristine white sand beach and other attractions and landmarks attract a huge number of visitors each year. Then there are the visitors who come here because it's so close to the Everglades. All this makes the city one of the top tourist destinations in the Sunshine State. That's no small achievement, given the intense competition from cities like Orlando and Miami that suck up all the global visitors and family vacationers.

The city stands out from the endless row of beach communities along the coast because of the magnificent beach. Even the Travel Channel agrees that it easily qualifies as America's best beach. People here actually have six beaches to choose from in the area, so there's no dearth of choices. The golfing options are even more awesome, because there are over 80 championship-level golf courses to keep the retirees and residents happy.

Of course, it's not always been such a feel-good story. This city, the same as every Gulf Coast community in Florida, has faced significant challenges in the past. The real estate crash sent property prices plummeting and millions of homes were foreclosed. The tourism business was completely destroyed when the BP oil spill hit the beaches and tourists stayed away for a couple of years.

At the peak of the crisis in Jan 2010, the unemployment rate in the city was at a historic high of 12.2%. It took some time to stop the slide and start the recovery process, but the economy has been growing at a fast clip since 2012. The tourists are back in more numbers than before, and wealthy retirees are once again buying up all the property available. Their lavish consumer spending is helping the retail sector make big gains.

As things stand now, Naples has the highest job growth rate among the country's 200 largest metro areas. The unemployment rate has dropped down to 5.4 percent, and the median household income is pegged at $56,759. The projected annual job growth rate through 2016 is an astounding 4.1 percent - the highest in the nation.

Of course, such an amazing turnaround and huge growth doesn't happen in a vacuum. No doubt the brilliant year-round sunshine, white sand beaches, Naples Bay and the Everglades are invaluable natural resources that attract tourists and retirees like moths to a flame. Even so, it takes a great deal more to recruit businesses and investments that support this level of job creation.

The area is able to secure new investments because of the business-friendly climate and tax policies. The Greater Naples Chamber and city and county officials all work together with the State of Florida to provide any kind of assistance that a new or existing business may need to grow and create jobs. Hiring and retaining skilled talent is easy because of the work-life balance and high quality of life. People want to find jobs here as a long-term career option so that they can relocate and enjoy the good life.




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