Sunshine Matters

Three new vacation experts join VISITFLORIDA.com’s Insiders team for 2011-2012. And their online home has received an elegant makeover.

Accomplished bloggers Jeanette Thwing (Shopping) and Rachelle Lucas (Dining, Entertainment and Luxury) and popular guidebook author Gary McKechnie (Off the Beaten Path) bolster an already strong lineup of reporters.

Each of the nine Insiders covers a Florida-specific topic, using all the quick-response tools of the 21st-century journalist. They post daily reports in their blogs, answer users’ questions and write feature stories. They take photographs and shoot informal videos. They appear on camera in highly produced travel pieces. They maintain an active social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.

Their work attracted 1.1 million page views in 2010-2011.

To showcase this rich content, VISITFLORIDA.com redesigned the Insiders’ pages.  Check out the new look, which debuted on Aug. 8. Bookmark this URL: www.visitflorida.com/insiders.

Now, let’s meet the team.

Rachelle Lucas – Dining, Entertainment and Luxury Insider

Rachelle describes herself as “an actor, spokesperson, videographer and writer who believes the best way to learn about a destination is through its flavors.” As a former innkeeper, Rachelle learned to cook by practicing with chefs she met while spending three years managing social media marketing for multiple bed & breakfasts. She’s also worked for the Travel Channel as a video journalist and regularly appears on HSN and the syndicated morning show, Daytime, as a guest chef. Her Twitter handle, @TravelBlggr, was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People Online In Travel.

Gary McKechnie – Off the Beaten Path Insider

Gary’s personal website says he has “spent a lifetime following in the footsteps of legendary reporter Charles Kuralt.” He has written a guidebook, Great American Motorcycle Tours, now in its 11th year and fourth edition. He spent two years on the road writing about America’s iconic places for National Geographic. He also has a background as an actor and comedian, making presentations on America’s cultural heritage at travel and trade shows and as a guest speaker aboard the Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. His work is so interesting that he has been the subject of profiles in Southern Living and Florida Trend. Gary, a native Floridian, lives in Mount Dora, where he and his wife own and run the Coconut Cottage Inn bed and breakfast.

Jeanette Thwing – Shopping Insider

Jeanette claims to have “shopped across Florida.” Her existing blog J’s Everyday Fashion, which attracts more than 500,000 monthly page views, offers “practical and free fashion advice” to everyday women. She has produced a makeover show pilot, with plans for 12 more episodes. Jeanette is originally from perhaps the most landlocked state (Kansas) and says Orlando is the best place she has ever lived. She has a background in marketing, working with national PBS producers in Boston; and in social media, managing the Facebook presence for companies in Atlanta and Orlando.

Rachelle, Gary and Jeanette join our six returning aficionados.  Here’s some scoop on them, as well.

Lauren Tjaden – Beaches & Adventure Insider

Lauren dubs herself an adventure addict, sports fan and dedicated beach bunny—but don’t forget journalist. Whether looking to leap out of a plane, enjoy the Florida landscape from above in a hot air balloon or just experience some waves and rays by the seashore, keeping up with Lauren allows travelers to find the perfect activity to satisfy the thrill seeker in all of us.

Terry Tomalin – Boating & Fishing Insider

Claiming to have spent more time on or under water than he has on land, Terry was the natural choice for the gig as the VISITFLORIDA.com Boating & Fishing Insider. An avid angler, scuba diver and boater, Terry travels from one end of Florida to the other with one goal: to be on the water, every day. Follow Terry’s blog to learn all his tips for boating and fishing in Florida.

Jill Martin – Family Insider

The Sunshine State is no stranger to family vacations and Jill  helps families traveling to the Sunshine State enjoy an awesome experience. She and her family of Florida natives discover the best places to eat, sleep, ride, shop, swim, snorkel and even zip line across the state.

Tim McDonald – Golf Insider

Home to the World Golf Hall of Fame, the Sunshine State boasts several championship golf courses and Tim shares the information travelers need to prepare for a day on the links. Throughout his career, the journalist and self-proclaimed “golf nut,” has written about nearly every golf course Florida has to offer.  Tim’s philosophy has always been “work less, golf more.”

Kevin Mims –  Outdoors & Nature Insider

Kevin is not a journalist; he’s a Florida native, runner, hiker, biker, kayaker and explorer who likes to write. But Kevin doesn’t just wander through the woods; he also volunteers every year to teach kids about plants and animals. Kevin boasts that he has more than 30 years of life experience exploring Florida’s rural outdoors. Visitors can keep up with Kevin’s videos, articles and blog posts to see where he’s headed next.

Dalia Colon – Smart Travel Insider

From the best outlet shopping to visiting some of Florida’s most famous museums, Dalia knows all the latest. Having worked as a fashion and entertainment journalist, Dalia has the inside scoop on the best trends in town. Whether the destination she’s suggesting has been in the Sunshine State for five days or five decades, she’ll help visitors do it up in style and under budget.