Sunshine Matters

To leverage travel trade and media already visiting the Sunshine State for IPW, VISIT FLORIDA organized six highly-successful post-event familiarization (FAM) tours of various Florida destinations.  These FAM tours offered a strategic way for buyers and media to experience first-hand a wide range of destinations throughout the state in a short amount of time.  The 88 FAM participants, coming from all over the world, visited some of Florida’s great hidden gems – locations that showed off the state’s natural, historical, fun, unique and unusual sides.

Each of the FAMs had a different theme and were hosted by VISIT FLORIDA’s local DMO Partners.  Here’s a brief description of some of the activities the participants enjoyed most:

Discover the Natural Side – Ocala, Gainesville and Marion & Citrus Counties
VISIT FLORIDA and partners hosted 6 tour operators and 4 media for a once in a lifetime experience.  The group got to swim with the famous Florida manatee at Crystal River, meandered through the live oaks at Silver Springs State Park, visited the Island Grove Winery to check out the bottling room, vineyard and wine tasting area, and toured Kimberden Farms, a famed horse farm for professional riders.

The Original Florida Sunshine Escape – Daytona Beach, Southeast and West Volusia
This group of 26 tour operators and journalists visited Daytona International Speedway, the Museum of Arts & Sciences, the new Cici & Hyatt Brown Museum of Art and the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory.  They also brunched at the Sunglow Pier, visited the Marine Science Center and took a boat ride to nearby New Smyrna Beach. Day three included pancakes at DeLeon Springs State Park, tours of the Stetson Mansion  and downtown DeLand, and a bike ride on the Original American Beach.

Real. Simple. Fun – Pensacola and Panama City Beach
VISIT FLORIDA and our Destination Partner hosts provided 11 buyers with an opportunity to explore downtown Pensacola, historic Pensacola Village and Palafox Street, enjoy a boat ride on a converted naval launch vessel, tour the Naval Aviation Museum and take a sneak peak inside Joe Patti’s Seafood company.  While visiting Panama City Beach, buyers went to outstanding restaurants like Firefly, BridgeSpan 14, Andy Flour Power and Schooners, where they watched the sunset. Other highlights included a tour of St. Andrews State Park and a helicopter tour over the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Let’s Do Launch: Launch Zip Line, Launch Space and Launch Ships! – Kissimmee and Space Coast
The 22 tour operators started this trip with a delicious catered breakfast and then burned those calories at the Tree Trek Adventure Park.  The group also had lunch with an Astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center and visited the famous Ron Jon/Cocoa Beach Surf Company.  The Wildlife Park Experience and airboat ride, complete with a sunset, allowed the group to see natural and authentic Florida at its very best.  Before heading home, they explored the natural beauty on Shingle Creek in canoes.

Treasure Hunt – St. Lucie and Indian River Counties
Over four days, 12 media from around the globe had the opportunity to discover some of the best hidden treasures Florida has to offer.  From trying on actual treasure, including gold rings and necklaces found at the bottom of the ocean, to the area’s natural treasures, such as kayaking through the mangrove swamps and hiking through botanical gardens, the press were nothing short of impressed with the state’s abundance of untamed resources.  Click here to read coverage of this FAM.

New Old Florida – St. Augustine & Jacksonville
This trip began in Jacksonville with a tour by none other than General Andrew Jackson guiding 10 media around the city named after him.  History took center stage in St. Augustine as the city showcased its 450th anniversary celebrations at a special exhibition at the Visitor’s Center, the historic Castillo de San Marcos and the city’s Colonial Quarter.  A culinary walking tour included everything from Spanish tapas to Henry Flagler’s aristocratic fare at the Alcazar Hotel.  Stories of pirates, treasures, shipwrecks and deaths entertained during the final evening’s Creepy Pub Crawl ghost tour.  Click here to read a post by one of the participating media.

We want to thank all our CVBs and their partners for helping put together such outstanding itineraries.  For more information about future FAMs, please contact­­ Pam Forrester at pforrester@VISITFLORIDA.org for media FAMs and me at bbryant@VISITFLORIDA.org for trade FAMs.