Sunshine Matters

As the most dangerous hurricane in 11 years lashed the Sunshine State on October 6th and 7th, VISIT FLORIDA activated a well-rehearsed marketing response that would change the national story and show off Florida as it is post-storm: sunny and ready for visitors.

In short, here’s what has happened: Continue reading »

VISIT FLORIDA and 23 of our Industry Partners created a co-branded stand for IMEX America – the largest exhibition in the United States for meeting professionals.  This year’s show welcomed 3,250 exhibiting companies and 3,000 hosted buyers from 139 different countries.  The three-day event is specifically tailored for meeting professionals to connect with suppliers during individual and group appointments, while offering continuing education and keynote speakers from various industries.  Continue reading »

In 2015, Florida welcomed a record 15.3 million international visitors from 190 countries who spent approximately $15.8 billion in the Sunshine State.  In order to keep up this momentum and attempt to break more records in international visitation, VISIT FLORIDA proudly exhibited at the prestigious 2016 World Route Development Forum. Continue reading »

Florida’s second most important European market in terms of visitation to the Sunshine State is Germany, with nearly half a million visitors to the state in 2015.  To keep Florida top of mind, VISIT FLORIDA recently hosted four German travel writers on an in-depth familiarization tour (FAM) of the Sunshine State’s Northeast region.  Relatively undiscovered to the German audience, the journalists had a taste of the largest city in the U.S. in terms of square miles – Jacksonville; the oldest city in the nation – St. Augustine; and an out-of-this-world experience along the Space Coast. Continue reading »

I am proud to announce that Carlos Gazitua was officially confirmed as a member of VISIT FLORIDA’s Board of Directors during the recent Enterprise Florida board meeting.  Having already been approved by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Carlos will fill a vacated regional seat.  His term begins immediately and runs through June 30, 2018.  Carlos, who serves as the President and CEO of Sergio’s Restaurants, is the creator of Sergio’s Cuban Café and the La Flaca™ brand. Promoting healthy cooking alternatives for Cuban food, The La Flaca™ menu has transformed the way people eat Latin and Cuban cuisine in South Florida. Continue reading »