Sunshine Matters

VISIT FLORIDA recently ‘shared the sunshine’ with a large and receptive group of travel agents at our annual Chicago Travel Trade Luncheon.  Illinois is the fourth ranked feeder state for visitors to Florida and the Chicago area is the Sunshine State’s third leading origin Designated Market Area (DMA). Continue reading »

VISIT FLORIDA has just launched our Spring marketing campaign and it’s already receiving praise.  Today in a Skift article, VISIT FLORIDA’s new television spot was named one of the ‘5 Best Travel Ads to Watch This Week.’  The ad was spotlighted because “Visit Florida does a great job of showing parents why Florida is a good choice for families instead of just telling them.” Continue reading »

Each year, VISIT FLORIDA conducts a survey to determine the return on investment from our domestic advertising campaign.  I am pleased to share that VISIT FLORIDA’s Spring 2013 “Must Be the Sunshine” advertising efforts generated $390 in traveler spending and $23 in new sales tax revenue for every $1 of advertising spend.  These results were unveiled during today’s Advertising & Internet Committee meeting at the annual VISIT FLORIDA Marketing Retreat. Continue reading »

Two consecutive years of record visitation.  A record 26 million visitors in Q1 2013.  Thirty-six consecutive months of job growth and a record 1,080,000 Floridians employed in the hospitality industry.  Florida is the No. 1 domestic vacation destination, the top family vacation destination, the top U.S. beach destination, the top vacation destination for Baby Boomers and Millennials, the  No. 1 destination for African American leisure travelers and one of the top international travel destinations. Continue reading »

Each year, the VISIT FLORIDA Marketing and Events Team hosts a series of VIP (Very Important Meeting Planner) events.  The sites are strategically located in major feeder cities with a high concentration of meeting professionals that have the potential to bring their meetings to Florida.  Making an impression, and creating fun and unique events, is our ultimate goal in developing a future relationship with the planners.  We look at each feeder market differently, and work to plan each event around a theme or activity that will foster engagement and networking.  And engagement was certainly strong with an average of 12 VISIT FLORIDA Partners and more than 50 planners attending each event. Continue reading »