Sunshine Matters

During last week’s DMAI Convention in Austin, I had the privilege of speaking to industry professionals about how VISIT FLORIDA leverages our assets.  Chief among them are our 225,000 Florida fans – residents and visitors who love and promote the Florida lifestyle and who we influence through social engagement with the ultimate objective of maintaining a healthy brand ecosystem. Continue reading »

Florida offers families great choices when it comes to planning a vacation.  Kids’ ages and interests often dictate what kinds of activities families will seek out on vacation.  Moms, dads, and single parents make decisions based on a variety of factors, including input from their kids.  Thirty-nine percent of Florida’s domestic visitors are families.  Moms make roughly 80 percent of travel related decisions and are a market segment that is rapidly becoming more digital.  Fifty-eight percent of the moms in those homes use the Internet over TV or magazines when planning vacations, and 74 percent of moms have purchased products as a result of a promotion mentioned in a blog.  So naturally, the family blogging community is crucial in helping and inspiring parents with ideas and travel planning decisions. Continue reading »

I am proud to announce that VISIT FLORIDA’s #LoveFL now has more than one billion earned impressions.  Since launching just over a year and a half ago, the hashtag has been increasingly embraced by Florida fans.  We know travelers are most influenced by recommendations from friends and family, and the #LoveFL initiative has proven to be a great way to celebrate the Sunshine State and capture that engagement.   Continue reading »

Last week, I had the opportunity to represent VISIT FLORIDA as we joined the team from the Florida Attractions Association for the 2014 Attraction Regional Forums.  These forums brought together over 100 FAA members and stakeholders at four locations around the state.  Our hosts included The Ringling in Sarasota, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Orlando Science Center, and Legacy Tours of Flagler College in St. Augustine. Continue reading »

Following a preview during today’s Board of Directors meeting in Palm Beach, VISIT FLORIDA announced the launch of our winter brand campaign inviting visitors to head to “the warmer side of winter.”  Every major destination competes for visitation this time of year as cold consumers look for a change of pace and environment.  VISIT FLORIDA’s new campaign reminds potential travelers that Florida is the place to be this time of year, with a television spot featuring visitors literally flying over a host of the Sunshine State’s warm weather settings. Continue reading »