Sunshine Matters

I am delighted to share that today Governor Scott announced VISIT FLORIDA’s preliminary estimates* showing 94.7 million visitors came to Florida in 2013, an increase of 3.5 percent over 2012.  This represents a record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 91.5 million in 2012.  The number of direct travel-related jobs in 2013 was also a record high, with 1,088,200 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – up 2.9 percent from 2012. Continue reading »

VISIT FLORIDA manages the state’s five Florida Welcome Centers located at I-10, I-95, I-75, U.S. 231 and in the Florida Capitol.   As an invaluable resource for visitors to the Sunshine State, the knowledgeable and helpful staff in the Florida Welcome Centers provide a wealth of information to millions of Florida visitors each year.  In addition to offering detailed travel planning advice, the centers also provide maps, brochures and a free cup of Florida citrus juice. Continue reading »

Last week, the domestic VISIT FLORIDA Marketing and Events team had the pleasure of visiting the Tampa area for a familiarization tour (FAM) with Visit Tampa Bay.  Since the team focuses on marketing the entire state to meeting professionals and travel agents throughout the country, department FAMs serve as a perfect opportunity to become better acquainted with the destinations we represent.  This FAM focused on Tampa’s meeting offerings and included visits to the Hilton Tampa Downtown, the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation, the Tampa Convention Center and Saddlebrook Resort. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that Sharon Siskie, Vice President of International Marketing and Sales for Disney Destinations, has joined VISIT FLORIDA’s Board of Directors.  Enterprise Florida, in conjunction with the Department of Economic Opportunity, approved her appointment during today’s EFI board meeting.  Sharon is filling the vacancy on VISIT FLORIDA’s Board created by Ed Fouché’s retirement last month.  Her term runs through June 30, 2016. Continue reading »

VISIT FLORIDA recently launched a new media site, improving how we engage with media and collaborate with industry on showcasing story ideas and content.  The site includes a media blog page, where we will showcase recent travel stories by journalists, updates from VISIT FLORIDA’s PR and Content team, and news about our tourism industry that would be of interest to consumer and trade media. Continue reading »