March 7, 2008

Dear Friends:

As many of you are aware, Spring Break is upon us. This is a time when many students from near and far venture to our pristine Florida shores to soak up sun and relaxation. As Floridians, I believe its a point of pride for many of us that so many people choose to vacation here. 

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation offers services to these tourists and residents that can enhance their vacation experience. For one, our Hotels & Restaurants Division holds lodging and food establishments to the highest standards set forth by the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to visiting the Web sites of hotels and motels, people can visit our Web site and look through past inspections to take a deeper look at where theyd like to stay.

While we welcome youth to our beautiful beaches, the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco strives to ensure that underage people are safe. ABT strategically executes a three-tier approach to protecting our communities and visitors. This approach includes education, prevention, and enforcement. In an effort to boost underage drinking prevention efforts, the Division launched a new Web page that serves as a portal to many resources.  It is divided into distinct sections for parents, teens, vendors, and community outreach.

This week and throughout the coming month, as students from across the country flock to Florida for a well-deserved break, we are proud to offer support to our partners in the tourism industry as well as our partners in law enforcement. It is through collaboration and hard work that we achieve an economically successful and safe spring break season. And, most importantly, keep the visitors coming back year after year. 

Sincerely,

Chuck Drago
Interim Secretary

Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Customer Contact Center:
850.487.1395
www.MyFloridaLicense.com