such a potential adverse impact on tourism in the world's biggest tourist destination could have got this far without someone highlighting the issue.
"advrse impact" is a bit strong
This has little impact.
Consider all Europe, and all European visitors to the US/Florida.
All of those except the UK where already (more or less) required to get an IDP (or it was strongly recommanded)
This only really changes things for those who already have a license written in English.(and I agree it serves no purpose)
It also has little impact on the tourist, since it's only a £5.5 cost. The main issue here being the access to the IDP issuing offices. (for example here we can fill the form in over the internet, and our license is to be picked up at the city/town hall free of charge a few days later)
If you think about impact, think about the ESTAs, now $14 and replacing the I94 we used to need to fill while onboard the plane.
What I think, is that they (Florida Senate) underestimated the uproar it would cause in the UK.
And it's easy to understand why. As the statutes stood, the LEOs could ask to see an IDP (translation) if the License was not in English, and they could not figure out what was on the license.
so the change only resides in the fact that the statuses gave an exception to Englsh written licenses.
Now they make the law apply to everybody even if it's ludicrous in this case...
But impact ... I'm not sure, it's just some other paperwork you'll need.
Now what I agree upon with some posters, is that it will probably require a tourist to be sent to jail before it really hits the fan.
Because, to be honest, right now, given the "low" impact it has on tourism (UK visitors are a sizeable portion of visitors, but still remain a small quantity over non english speaking visitors) publicizing is not a priority
let's move so that it becomes a priority and I guess it starts in places like here where we inform our fellow WDW lovers.