Sunshine Matters

This week, VISIT FLORIDA and four of our tourism Partners met with media contacts and travel influencers in Charlotte and Greensboro during a media mission to North Carolina.  This is an important emerging market for VISIT FLORIDA, since consumers from this drive market can reach several northern and central Florida destinations within 5 to 7 hours.  In addition, Charlotte is the hub for U.S. Airways and airline lift among several carriers providing convenient access to Florida. 

During the two-day mission, VISIT FLORIDA and our Partners from Visit Jacksonville, Visit Tallahassee, Visit Gainesville and St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra met with representatives and contributors of The Charlotte Observer, The Charlotte Post, GO Magazine (a AAA publication), Recreation News (reaching mid-Atlantic readers), Carolina Bride, South Park magazine, and Pace Communications (publisher of US Airways magazine and Four Seasons Hotels magazine, among others).

The media mission program is an integral part of VISIT FLORIDA’s public relations goal to provide value to industry Partners while building relationships with media influencers.  Key takeaways from our meetings include:

• Florida DMOs discovered opportunities to collaborate on regional story ideas of interest to the media, including future media FAM trips and story pitching that can result  in a larger footprint for the State through earned media
• Carolina Bride is focusing on luxury wedding experiences and is always interested in news about new hotels and resorts
• AAA’s Go Magazine is read by a broader readership beyond the Carolinas, including international audiences using AAA as a resource for future travel
• The Charlotte Post reaches the region’s African American consumer interested in learning about family travel options and new Florida vacation experiences
• U.S. Airways magazine welcomes story pitches about shorter, concise news and events calendar content, while VISIT FLORIDA is exploring a more in-depth content opportunity with the publisher

For more information about our PR programs, or to discuss story ideas that have a regional or statewide focus for pitching media, email me at kmorgan@VISITFLORIDA.org.