Sunshine Matters

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.

This year’s program features a return to VISIT FLORIDA’s NYC LGBT media reception, which was last held in 2009.  We look forward to reconnecting with this important community of influencers and sharing all the fun and exciting new travel experiences LGBT travelers are eager to learn about from the Sunshine State.  We’ll also be going to a new and emerging market: Dallas-Fort Worth.  This region is filled with promising media connections and opportunities to reach consumers who are planning their next Florida vacation or could use a little reminding of Florida’s tourism assets.

During the last fiscal year, the VISIT FLORIDA media missions connected representatives from Florida DMOs and tourism businesses with top-tier journalists, editors and travel writers from digital publications, newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations.  The one-on-one desk side meetings allow VISIT FLORIDA and its partners to present the latest information and travel story pitches from around the Sunshine State while sustaining and growing relationships with the media in key feeder markets.

As part of the annual trek to NYC, 15 Industry Partners joined VISIT FLORIDA’s PR Department during two back-to-back media receptions, during which our Partners networked with key influencers while positioning Florida’s destinations and tourism businesses as leading experts on what’s new and trending in tourism consumer news.  More than 70 writers, editors and media contacts from national broadcast, digital and print outlets attended the receptions, including Good Morning America, The Huffington Post, Ladies’ Home Journal, Meetings and Conventions magazine, New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country magazine, Travel + Leisure magazine, Foodie City Mom and Prime Time Parenting.

VISIT FLORIDA looks forward to another successful year with our Partners as we reconnect with familiar media friends and establish relationships with new ones.  Partners who are interested in participating will find more information, as well as the application and registration form, through the VISIT FLORIDA Marketing Planner. The application and registration period is open until the deadline on Friday, August 24.