Stay tuned in to our local news coverage: Listen to 90.7 WMFE on your FM or HD radio, the WMFE mobile app or your smart speaker — say “Alexa, play NPR” and you’ll be connected.

The Florida economy got cooking this year – tourism is up, unemployment went down. Economic analyst Hank Fishkind checked in with 90.7’s Catherine Welch about the year ahead, but before they look forward, they look back.

Hank’s Highlights:

• Job growth in Orlando lead all other state metro areas with a gain of about 40,000 new jobs.
• Deltona/Daytona Beach had job gains of 6,000, but it was markedly slower than in 2014.
• Growth in real GDP for 2016 will likely accelerate to 3 percent or more based on continuing strong gains in employment, rising wages, higher consumption spending, and rising home construction.

Dr. Hank Fishkind is president of Fishkind and Associates. Hear him every Tuesday at 7:45am.