Sunshine Matters

So far, this is shaping up to be another great year for the the five Official Florida Welcome Centers that are managed and operated by VISIT FLORIDA.  More than 1.3 million visitors have already come through the Florida Welcome Centers from January to June, representing a 2.8 percent increase from the same period last year. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that on Friday three Florida beaches – St. George Island State Park, Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park – were named to Dr. Beach’s annual Top Ten Beaches in America list. 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 »

Spring is always a busy time at our state’s Capitol building, and this season has been no exception.  The Official Florida Welcome Center at the state Capitol has certainly followed suit, working hard to keep up with the hustle and bustle of the legislative session that concluded last Friday. Continue reading »

This week, Florida joins the rest of the nation in celebrating the importance of tourism during the annual National Travel & Tourism Week.  Held the first full week in May each year since 1984, tourism entities across America hold rallies, awards luncheons and other activities to help spotlight the power of travel. Continue reading »