Sunshine Matters

Each Spring, VISIT FLORIDA invites the tourism industry to submit applications for the Flagler Awards and to nominate peers for the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame and Florida Tourism Honor Roll.

Named for the vision, perseverance, imagination and commitment of Henry Flagler, the Flagler Awards were established to recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida.  Every year, the Flagler Awards honor many of the countless individuals and organizations that help maintain and improve Florida’s position as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations.  New for 2013, a category for Rural County Marketing has been added to recognize tourism marketing achievements among Florida’s 32 rural counties.   For more information specifically about the Flagler Awards, please contact Maria Hayworth directly at (386) 677-7000 or FlaglerAwards@VISITFLORIDA.org.

Begun in 2001, the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame acknowledges contemporary and historic figures whose vision, creativity and drive have had a positive and significant impact on the development of Florida as a desirable visitor destination.  One individual is chosen annually and announced during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in September.  Selection is made by a panel representing the state’s various tourism industry associations and other key industry representatives.  The award is presented on behalf of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors.

Created in 2007, the Florida Tourism Honor Roll serves to acknowledge those historical visionaries whose achievements and extraordinary careers significantly impacted the growth of Florida tourism.  The Honor Roll is displayed alongside the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame in VISIT FLORIDA’s Tallahassee headquarters.

To view past inductees for the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame, Honor Roll and Flagler Awards or to download the 2013 entry forms, please click here.  The deadline to submit applications for the 2013 Flaglers is May 17, and the Hall of Fame and Honor Roll are both May 30.  Winners will be announced at the 46th Annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism being held at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando on Sept. 11-13, 2013.  For more information, please contact Susan Gale at (850) 205-3857 or sgale@VISITFLORIDA.org.