MikeFisher News

DAVENPORT | Tourists flock to this region to enjoy the theme parks and other attractions, but they also expect that in a tourism Mecca like Central Florida, they can expect to feel safe.

If not, cautioned An Flamand, then anyone who works in the tourism and hospitality industry has a lot to be worried about.

As we all know, with the tourists being here, crime actually goes up a little," said Flamand, who runs USA Vacation Homes in Davenport, a property management firm that oversees several vacation homes.

For one thing, she said, a lot of the tourists appear to be easy targets for scam artists, including those pretending to sell reduced price tickets to the theme parks.

We have a problem with those cheap ticket sales on (U.S.) 192 and (U.S.) 27," Flamand said.

Another problem for the vacation home industry, she said, is that when these fully furnished houses, rented on a short-term basis to tourists, are not booked, thieves see a good opportunity to steal whatever furniture they can take.

"If the house is empty, there are higher chances of burglars coming in," she said.

At other times, thieves target these homes while they're booked, and break in while the guests are out at the theme parks.

Flamand is the president of the Central Florida Vacation Rental Managers Association.

When the association held its monthly meeting at Legoland Florida on May 17, Flamand cautioned the members that if tourists are being scanned or robbed during their stay in Central Florida, chances are they won't be back.

"You may think it doesn't affect us, but it does," she said.