Sunshine Matters

In order to share the message of all there is to see and do in the Sunshine State with travel writers in one of our biggest domestic markets, VISIT FLORIDA recently hosted two well-attended NYC media receptions.  The first was a luncheon for 26 consumer media guests, including contributors and staff with Fodors.com, Huffington Post, Ladies’ Home Journal, Travel + Leisure, Field & Stream, Successful Meetings, TravelingMom.com, The New York Daily News and several other digital and print publications.

Following the luncheon, Doug Gollan with Elite Traveler posted a summary article, encouraging the jet set to “Visit Florida, Soon.”

This year was a record for the PR event, where 19 tourism industry Partners met with the media and pitched Florida’s diverse assets and travel experiences during the luncheon. Those in attendance included Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands, Dali Museum St. Petersburg, Florida Keys & Key West, Florida Space Coast, Grand Golf Resorts of Florida, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, Greater Miami CVB, Experience Kissimmee, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Visit Sarasota County, Seminole County CVB, Visit Jacksonville and the Beaches, Visit Tallahassee, Tampa Bay & Company, Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches, Visit Orlando, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB, and Naples, Marco Island & the Everglades – Florida’s Paradise Coast.

In the evening, Partners engaged with LGBT travel writers at the Eventi Hotel’s Humphrey restaurant, marking a return to this program since VISIT FLORIDA last hosted LGBT media in 2010.  The LGBT travel market is as diverse as the Sunshine State itself, but there are marketing opportunities and insights for the tourism industry to build upon.

According to marketing statistics from Community Marketing,Inc., San Francisco, CA:

•  LGBT travel represents a $65 billion annual industry
• Two-thirds of LGBTs say they are warm weather travelers
• Summertime is the most popular travel season for both gay men and lesbians
• Returning to a favorite place is the leading motivator for selecting a destination, but having an LGBT-friendly reputation can’t be discounted
• LGBT media ads are important sources of travel information for gay men and lesbians, right behind word-of-mouth and travel websites
• When making travel decisions, 1 in 4 LGBTs have been influenced by information and feedback found in social media
• Booking online directly with a hotel or airline is by far the most common booking method – LGBTs view on average three websites before making a purchasing decision
• LGBTs belong to airline and hotel rewards programs in large numbers

An update on VISIT FLORIDA’s Viva 500 PR initiative:

The PR Department began pitching media in 2012, providing them with story ideas to inspire travelers to visit Florida during its quincentennial year.  Among the ongoing earned media results, editors from Atlanta Magazine selected “four iconic Sunshine State vacations” for their February cover story, titled Classic Florida.

A story by Jay Clarke was posted in  Newsday on February 5: Florida marks its 500th anniversary.  The feature highlights the state’s cultural heritage, ranging from Ernest Hemingway’s home in Key West to Thomas Edison and Henry Ford’s winter estates in Fort Myers.

Also, the highly popular mommy blog Classy Mommy posted about Florida’s 500 Years of Adventure Sweepstakes.

To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA PR programs, please contact us at PR@VISITFLORIDA.org.