Sunshine Matters

As the official destination marketing organization charged with promoting Florida as a leisure travel and meetings destination, VISIT FLORIDA plans and implements a wide variety of sales and marketing initiatives.  Our goal is to deliver the right message, through the right medium, to the right audience, at the right time, in order to maximize the economic impact of travel to the Sunshine State.

The 2011-12 Marketing Plan will serve as the roadmap that guides all VISIT FLORIDA sales and marketing efforts for the upcoming fiscal year.  The new plan was developed by VISIT FLORIDA staff based on guidance, input and insight from the Florida tourism industry as represented by members of VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing committees, including:

• Advertising and Internet
• Communications
• Culture, Heritage, Rural and Nature
• Industry Relations
• International
• Promotions
• Sales
• Visitor Services

The 2011-12 marketing planning process began in December 2010 when representatives of Florida’s tourism industry, including members of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors and committees, met at the annual Marketing Retreat to set industry priorities for VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing efforts.  Addressing both near-term needs as well as long-term goals, the industry identified strategic marketing objectives and helped prioritize initiatives for inclusion in the 2011-12 Marketing Plan.

With the strategic direction provided by the industry in general and the individual marketing committees, staff developed a proposed marketing plan and budget.  This plan was then vetted through each marketing committee, as well as the Marketing Council Steering Committee, and forwarded to the Board of Directors for their consideration.  The process was completed during last Thursday’s Board of Directors meeting, when the group voted to officially approve the new Marketing Plan.

To view a copy of the 2011-12 Marketing Plan, please click here.  In the weeks to come, we’ll be sharing additional posts on specific information from the plan, including details on our international and meetings marketing efforts.