Sunshine Matters

I am pleased to announce that the Florida Official Transportation Map and the 2012 VISIT FLORIDA Magazine are now available.  Both publications provide rich Florida travel planning content that is also available online and on mobile devices.

As the official source for travel planning, VISIT FLORIDA is proud to provide these resources free of charge as a service to visitors around the world.  User-friendly print versions of publications like the Florida Official Transportation Map simply wouldn’t be possible without our generous sponsors, particularly The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that during last evening’s awards gala in New York, Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) recognized VISIT FLORIDA with one Gold and three Silver Adrian Awards.  The awards were given for public relations and digital marketing excellence for VISIT FLORIDA’s winning entries in the 55th Annual Adrian Awards Competition, the world’s most recognized and prestigious advertising, public relations and digital marketing competition for the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. This year’s total of four awards marks VISIT FLORIDA’s largest number of winning Adrian entries ever received.

VISIT FLORIDA was selected by HSMAI to receive a Gold Adrian Award for its “Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk” crisis recovery campaign and Silver Adrian Awards for its “Sunshine Moments” social media campaign, its “Florida Seafood Celebration” special event in Washington, D.C. and its “GO Magazine” feature placement in AirTran’s on-board publication. Continue reading »

On Thursday, we hosted a Log-In & Learn titled “VISIT FLORIDA Committee Overview” where Chris Thompson, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, presented information on how Partners can become involved in the VISIT FLORIDA committee process and learn more about what committee service entails. In case you missed it, we have posted the webinar to our Learning Library, so you can listen and view at your convenience.

Industry members play a major role in the evolution of VISIT FLORIDA programs and opportunities. VISIT FLORIDA Partners, including some of the industry’s foremost experts, serve on our committees, which meet to recommend strategic actions. VISIT FLORIDA’s Board of Directors established these committees to enhance and maximize industry input toward fulfilling VISIT FLORIDA’s commitment to being “industry-led.” If you are interested in serving, don’t miss the April 13 deadline to apply. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that the 45th Annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism will be held September 5-7, 2012 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. For more than four decades, this event has been recognized as the premier educational conference for the Florida tourism industry, providing the opportunity for participants to learn the latest in marketing strategy, receive critical research data and share best practices. Continue reading »

According to preliminary estimates* we released today, an estimated 85.9 million visitors came to Florida in 2011, an increase of 4.4 percent over 2010.  This represents a record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 84.5 million in 2007.  Direct travel-related employment in Florida also rose to a near record high of 1,013,100, adding more than 38,000 jobs and representing a 3.9 percent increase over 2010.

“With such significant increases in jobs and visitors to the Sunshine State in 2011, tourism remains the state’s No. 1 industry and the leading driver of Florida’s rebounding economy,” said Governor Rick Scott. “VISIT FLORIDA and the entire Florida tourism industry are leading the way to ensuring that we become the No. 1 travel destination in the world.” Continue reading »