Sunshine Matters

This week in Boston, the U.S. Travel Association held it’s annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) conference.  During the event, the winners of the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) 2012 Mercury Awards were announced.  I am very proud to share that VISIT FLORIDA won the Mercury Award in the Special Promotion category for our Florida Fan Game contest. Continue reading »

While VISIT FLORIDA focuses the majority of our efforts on marketing the Sunshine State to visitors around the globe, we are also highly engaged at the national level through service on and participation in U.S. Department of Commerce and Brand USA efforts. Continue reading »

According to preliminary estimates* we released today, 22.1 million visitors came to Florida in the second quarter of 2012 (April-June), an increase of 1.3 percent over the same period in 2011.  Direct travel-related employment in Florida also rose 1.1 percent to 1,041,900, adding 11,300 jobs since this time one year ago and representing the largest employment total since first quarter 2008. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce VISIT FLORIDA’s 2012-2013 Media Missions and Receptions Program schedule.  The PR Department will lead four desk-side missions and two receptions this fiscal year.  Each mission takes four VISIT FLORIDA Partners to desk-side meetings with top media in Atlanta-Birmingham (Oct. 22-25), Dallas-Fort Worth (Jan. 14-17), Chicago (March 25-28) and Boston (April 22-25).  The two media receptions, both held in New York City on February 20, will connect Partners with top travel writers for consumer and LGBT media. Continue reading »

Reminding families in national and statewide drive and fly markets that the time is right for planning that last summer vacation before school starts up again, VISIT FLORIDA conducted a satellite media tour (SMT) from St. George Island State Park on July 16 and a radio media tour (RMT) on July 18. Vacation expert and “kid wrangler” Jill Martin – VISITFLORIDA.com’s Family Insider – leveraged Dr. Beaches’ announcement this year that St. George Island is the No. 4 beach in the nation during his annual top 10 beaches list to talk about Florida summer vacation opportunities. She was interviewed by more than 100 TV stations from across the country, including two nationally syndicated daytime shows. Jill shared family vacation planning insights and invited viewers and listeners to check out Florida’s Hot Deals and other vacation planing tools on VISITFLORIDA.com. Continue reading »