Sunshine Matters

According to preliminary estimates* we released today, 23.4 million visitors came to Florida in the first quarter of 2012 (January-March), an increase of 2.4 percent over the same period in 2011.  Direct travel-related employment in Florida also rose 1.9 percent to 1,027,500, adding 19,200 jobs since this time one year ago and representing the largest employment total since first quarter 2008.

“On the heels of a record year for the Florida tourism industry in 2011, it’s encouraging to see the trend of more visitors and more jobs extending into 2012,” said Governor Rick Scott. “As the state’s top industry and the leading driver of a rebounding economy, VISIT FLORIDA and the entire Florida tourism industry are well on their way to making the Sunshine State the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”

An estimated 19.7 million domestic visitors came to Florida during the first quarter of 2012, representing a 1.2 percent increase from the same period in 2011.  Florida experienced a 2.7 percent increase in Canadian visitors at 1.4 million and a 13 percent increase in overseas visitors with 2.4 million in Q1 2012 compared to Q1 2011.

“The more than one million Floridians who are employed in the tourism industry take great pride in serving our visitors, who help generate nearly a quarter of the state’s sales tax revenue,” said Tony Lapi, Chairman of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and President and CEO of ‘Tween Waters Inn Island Resort. “We know that every 85 visitors support one Florida job, so the continued increase in travelers to our great state equals a strengthened Florida economy and much-needed employment.”

Primary data collected at Florida’s 14 major airports in the first quarter of 2012 reflect a 2.5 percent increase in total enplanements from the same period in 2011.  Tourism and recreation taxable sales for Florida increased year-over-year in January and February 2012 (last reported month), representing an 8.7 percent increase over the same period in 2011. The Average Daily Room Rate rose 5.7 percent and the occupancy rate for Florida hotels increased 2.7 percentage points in Q1 2012 compared to Q1 2011.

I’m pleased to say the big story for tourism in 2012 is that we are building on a record year with continued growth and increased visitor spending.  These increases simply would not be possible without the commitment of our hospitality industry employees, the strength of Florida’s tourism product, and the creative and strategic marketing efforts being implemented by VISIT FLORIDA and our partners statewide.

*Preliminary estimates are issued 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final estimates are released when final data are received for all estimates in the report.

VISIT FLORIDA was front and center during the 44th Annual U. S. Travel International Pow Wow held in Los Angeles.   The 5-day event had an estimated attendance of nearly 6,000 travel professionals, including more than 1,200 international and domestic buyers, 500 international and domestic media and 1,100 U.S. supplier companies exhibiting.  The appointment-based program attracted representatives from more than 70 countries who conducted more than 80,000 business appointments expected to generate in excess of $3.5 billion in future travel to the U.S.

During this year’s Pow Wow, VISIT FLORIDA’s international team had a full schedule of appointments with over 150 key tour operators on the trade show floor and spoke with 100 writers as part of the Media Marketplace event.  The country breakdown of tour operators with whom VISIT FLORIDA staff engaged represented UK – 25%, Latin America – 23%, Europe – 22%, China – 13%, Canada – 4% and other countries – 13%.  The mood of attendees at both the trade show and at special events throughout the week was engaged and energetic, including during hosted evening activities that provided an opportunity to mix, mingle and network with delegates we were not able meet with during the pre-scheduled appointment sessions.

For 2012, VISIT FLORIDA unveiled a new booth look that showcased Florida’s natural side.  The eye-catching backdrop featured the dramatic “Mangrove At Sunset” image by Alan Maltz, the official wildlife photographer for the State of Florida, and was complimented with eco-friendly cork flooring.

In addition to its revamped booth, VISIT FLORIDA did a first-time sponsorship of nine 10-foot tall Wayfinder Kiosks.  The highly-visible kiosks, which aided delegates in finding their way around the marketplace floor, featured VISIT FLORIDA-branded content including  travel videos and stories created by top journalists in both English and Spanish. Next year, we intend to extend this sponsorship opportunity to interested VISIT FLORIDA partners.

Overseas markets continue to be an integral part of VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing efforts with 2011 total overseas travel to Florida up 16% from the previous year.  With a combined 9.3 million visitors, the top ten origin countries of overseas visitations to Florida for 2011 are Brazil, United Kingdom, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Germany, France, Colombia, Spain and Japan.  Canada remains the number one country of origin for visitation to Florida with 3.3 million visitors. Given the continued growth and competitive environment in overseas travel to the U.S., having a strategic presence at Pow Wow and other international trade events allows VISIT FLORIDA – and, by extension, the entire Florida tourism industry – to expand our reach and relevance to this increasingly vital visitor market.

Each year, VISIT FLORIDA conducts a Return on Investment Influencer Study which measures the collective impact of our marketing efforts on visitors’ decisions to come to the Sunshine State.  Results from the 2011 study show that, of the surveyed respondents who had been to Florida in the past year, 38.1 percent were significantly influenced in their decision to visit the state by one or more VISIT FLORIDA marketing initiatives.  This figure represents a 1.2 percentage point increase over 2010 and marks the third consecutive year of ROI increases, rising a total of 11.4 percentage points since 2008. Read more of this post »

Today is the final day to sign the American Society of Association Executives’ open letter to Congress opposing the restrictions on attendance at meetings. The letter asks Congress to revise recent amendments passed by the House and Senate that limit federal employees from attending private conferences if any federal funds are used for travel expenses.

While the stated intent of the language would be to prevent wasteful spending on government sponsored conferences, the actual language would prevent many federal employees from attending and participating in private conferences. Read more of this post »

This week, the four Official Florida Welcome Centers located at I-10, I-75, I-95 and US-231 are not only sharing Florida vacation planning information with the nearly 40,000 visitors who will stop in, but are also raising awareness for roadway safety issues.  Known across the country as “Go Orange” Week, VISIT FLORIDA’s Welcome Center staff have partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Public Safety Institute, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and other state and local organizations for this annual campaign to remind motorists about the importance of safe driving on Florida’s roadways. Read more of this post »