Sunshine Matters

Below is the text of a release VISIT FLORIDA sent out today on our newest online feature, Florida Live.  Please check out the new site and add your photos by becoming a Share a Little Sunshine Facebook fan.

Florida is alive and well, and open for business. VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official tourism marketing organization, is inviting residents to help share that word with potential visitors by sharing their photos on a new website that launches today: VISITFLORIDAlive.com. At the Florida Live site, Florida’s visitors can see local webcams and Twitter feeds on events and beach conditions, as well as photos taken by Florida residents. The goal is to enable potential visitors to make their Florida vacation plans based on real time information from local sources – not based on misconceptions resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“Florida’s clear beaches, blue waters, sunny skies and classic getaways haven’t changed – and the best way to share that word is to show it,” says Will Seccombe, chief marketing officer at VISIT FLORIDA. “A picture is worth a thousand words, and a real person‘s view is worth a thousand paid photographers. That’s why we’ve taken the step of hosting consumer generated content on our official site. Visitors want to see what’s really happening, not just what the ‘marketing guy’ is posting.”

VISIT FLORIDA’s newest online feature, Florida Live, is the latest social media platform being added to VISIT FLORIDA’s award-winning tourism website. At VISITFLORIDALIVE.com, users can see photos and tweets being shared in real time by people in the Sunshine State.  The photos are pulled as a live stream from photos posted by Share A Little Sunshine fans on Facebook. Share a Little Sunshine is an advocacy program that began by encouraging Floridians to invite friends and family to visit the state and, now, is inviting Florida fans to share their favorite Florida photos.  To contribute, simply become a Share a Little Sunshine fan at Facebook.com/FloridaSunshine and post a current photo of our beautiful Sunshine State.

Other features at Florida Live include live webcam feeds from destinations around the state, Google map-based Twitter feeds that provide local updates on beach conditions, weather and activities from cities and towns across Florida, and an extensive collection of vacation deals for a variety of Florida destinations.

“Florida is a trusted destination that hosts more than 80 million visitors a year,” says Chris Thompson, president and CEO at VISIT FLORIDA. “We know our visitors come back again and again –  we have a relationship with them.  We want them to know they can always trust VISIT FLORIDA  to give them authentic and real information for making their travel plans. That’s why Florida Live is a great resource for travelers.”