Sunshine Matters

VISITFLORIDA.com, already the most trafficked destination marketing organization website in the country, experienced a record year in 2011.  The site had nearly 6.3 million visits, a 13 percent increase over the previous year, generating more than 18.5 million page views.  Last year, VISITFLORIDA.com also experienced a 13 percent increase in international traffic, with 990,000 visits to the site.

And 2012 is getting off to an incredible start as well, with January and February becoming the highest trafficked months in the history of VISITFLORIDA.com.  In February alone, the site had more than 800,000 visits and nearly 2 million page views – an increase of 44 percent more visits than February 2011 and a 9 percent increase in page views. Continue reading »

Floridians realize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to live and play every day in this paradise known around the world as the Sunshine State.  Whether we decide to treat ourselves to a weekend getaway or an entire week-long vacation, we have an incredible array of destinations available to us right here in our own backyard.  From gorgeous white sandy beaches and world-famous attractions to breath-taking scenic waterways and quaint historic small towns, we have a lifetime’s worth of amazing places in Florida just waiting to be discovered. Continue reading »

As it continues to evolve and grow, VISITFLORIDA.com – already one of the top trafficked destination marketing organization websites in the country – now includes several new social media features.  One feature allows users to post their vacation photos and videos to VISITFLORIDA.com directly from their social media channels, including Facebook and Flickr.  Florida fans are able to upload and share their images by clicking the “Fan Photos & Videos” tab on the top right of the VISITFLORIDA.com home page.  Another feature makes it possible for visitors to get travel advice by connecting with their Facebook friends from any page on the website by using the “Friend Connect” toolbar fixed at the bottom of their screenview. Continue reading »

As we head into our 2011-12 fiscal year, I am excited to see our successful Insider program continue on VISITFLORIDA.com.  This program consists of freelance journalists who generate content in a specialized topic area. They write feature stories for the web, blog posts, answer questions from users on VISITFLORIDA.com, take photos, and shoot informal videos as well as host produced videos.  Our Insiders also interact with people in communities outside of VISITFLORIDA.com, such as Facebook, Twitter and more.  The planned Insider topics for the upcoming program year are Family, Beaches, Off the Beaten Path, Outdoors & Nature, Boating & Fishing, Dining, Entertainment & Luxury, Shopping & Smart Travel and Golf. Continue reading »

One of the ways VISIT FLORIDA provides visitors to the Sunshine State with valuable travel planning information is through the VISITFLORIDA.com Insiders program. Now in their fourth year of providing a bevy of content for activities and attractions that make Florida unique, the nine VISITFLORIDA.com Insiders all share a passion for touting the beauty of their state.  Continue reading »