Sunshine Matters

In the last few weeks, VISIT FLORIDA has coordinated three separate familiarization (FAM) tours bringing international travel trade and media from Canada, Germany and Australia to the Sunshine State.  VISIT FLORIDA teamed up with our Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and other Florida industry Partners in hosting these trips, which allow foreign journalists and other international trade representatives to experience first-hand the wide variety of travel experiences our state has to offer and, in turn, relay that information to their clients and  readers. Continue reading »

Now in its fourth year, the VISIT FLORIDA Charity Committee organized the “This Side vs. That Side” canned food drive challenge to support America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend.  This healthy competition – with an ice cream social and bragging rights for the year on the line for the winning side – splits the VISIT FLORIDA office in half to see which side can collect the most non-perishable items for the local food bank. Continue reading »

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.  Continue reading »

I am proud to share that last night travel industry veteran Randy Garfield of The Walt Disney Company was honored as a 2013 inductee into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders. Garfield, and fellow honoree Mike Gallagher of CityPASS, were recognized during a dinner attended by more than 100 travel industry leaders as part of the U.S. Travel fall board meeting at the Fairmont in Washington, D.C. Continue reading »

While in Washington, D.C. for the Connecting America Through Travel conference and the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors meeting, I was privileged today to have the opportunity to meet with Congressman Gus Bilirakis, U.S. Representative for Florida’s 12th Congressional District, and Patricia Rojas-Ungár, Vice President of Government Relations for the U.S. Travel Association. Continue reading »