Sunshine Matters

I am pleased to announce that VISIT FLORIDA has selected our new leadership to serve on the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and industry committees.  Nearly 240 VISIT FLORIDA partners, including some of the industry’s foremost experts, have been selected to represent the tourism industry for the upcoming term.

William D. Talbert, III, CDME, President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, will take over as the new Chair of the 2016-2017 VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors.  Talbert succeeds John Tomlin, retired Chief Operating Officer for The Auto Club Group, who served as Chair during a year in which Florida welcomed a fifth consecutive record number of visitors, visitor spending and tourism-related employment.

As a passionate promoter of Florida tourism, John has done a tremendous job leading the industry this past year.  As we build on this momentum, I cannot think of a better successor than Bill who brings 25 years of local, state, national and international travel-industry expertise to his new leadership position with VISIT FLORIDA.

The Board of Directors is the organization’s private sector governing body who, along with the members of its 11 committees, provide guidance, input and insight into the evolution of VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing programs.  Appointed by Enterprise Florida in conjunction with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the 31-member board is comprised of representatives from key sectors of the tourism industry and is balanced geographically throughout the state.  The nine-member Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, made up of the officers and standing committee chairs, serves as the highest level of VISIT FLORIDA’s volunteer leadership.

“VISIT FLORIDA is committed to increasing the positive impact tourism has on this state through continued investments that deliver positive returns for all our stakeholders,” said John Tomlin, out-going Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors. “Key to our success are extremely talented and dedicated professionals, strong and supportive industry partners and meaningful support from Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature.”

During his upcoming year as Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, Talbert intends to focus on efforts that will propel the Sunshine State’s tourism industry to reach the $100 billion tourism-spending mark before 2020 and generate new jobs and careers for Florida’s ever-growing population.

“I’m excited to work alongside my experienced industry colleagues on the Executive Committee, Board and committees, as well as the talented and driven staff at VISIT FLORIDA, to make sure people all around the world know what a special place this is to visit,” said Talbert. “Coming off of our fifth consecutive record-setting year, we are better positioned than ever to make Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”

To view a sortable list of all 2016-2017 Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Committee members, please click here.  For more details, including information about the makeup of VISIT FLORIDA’s Board, bios on the members and descriptions of each committee’s role, please click here.  This link will contain information on the 2015-2016 board and committee members until the new leadership takes office on July 1, 2016.