Sunshine Matters

This week VISIT FLORIDA entered a new fiscal year with a new marketing plan, an increased budget and higher expectations.  We also welcomed a new industry leadership team.

The changing of the guard on VISIT FLORIDA’s Board of Directors and industry committees is a powerful reminder of the incredible amount of time, energy and resources that the Florida tourism industry invests to lead VISIT FLORIDA. Continue reading »

With the start of our new fiscal year beginning July 1, I am proud to announce the 2013-14 leadership who will serve on VISIT FLORIDA’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors and industry committees.  More than 200 partners, including some of the industry’s foremost experts, have been selected to represent the tourism industry for the upcoming term.

Tammy Gustafson, Director of National and Group Sales for Universal Orlando Resort, will take over as the new Chair. Gustafson succeeds Glenn Hastings, Executive Director of the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council, who served as Chair during a year in which Florida welcomed a second consecutive record number of visitors, visitor spending and tourism-related employment. Continue reading »

Today, Governor Scott signed the 2013-2014 state budget.  In a press release sent to media this afternoon, VISIT FLORIDA and several key tourism industry leaders voiced support for its inclusion of increased tourism marketing funding.

Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA

“With the substantial increase in VISIT FLORIDA funding, Florida tourism is extremely well positioned to build on two consecutive years of record visitation and job creation.  I would like to thank Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature for their visionary leadership and for their extraordinary support of VISIT FLORIDA and the state’s tourism industry,” said Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that VISIT FLORIDA’s preliminary estimates* for the first quarter of 2013 (January-March) show that 26 million visitors came to Florida, an increase of 4.7 percent over the same period in 2012.  This makes the first quarter of 2013 the biggest quarter for visitation in the history of Florida tourism.

“More people visited Florida this past quarter than ever before,” Governor Scott said. “Record visitation to the Sunshine State means more jobs and opportunities for Florida’s families, which is great news.” Continue reading »

While Viva Florida 500 is a year-long commemoration of the discovery of the Sunshine State by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon and his crew, April marks the celebration’s biggest push.  To kick things off, VISIT FLORIDA participated in a press conference hosted by Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner on April 2 to coincide with the actual anniversary of Ponce de Leon’s landing.  One of the big announcements was the impending arrival of El Galeón, a replica of Spanish ships from 500 years ago, that would be sailing from Spain to Puerto Rico and on to four ports of call in Florida. Continue reading »