Sunshine Matters

According to a study released in February 2011 by the Convention Industry Council – widely recognized by the tourism industry as the first, definitive, qualitative, research-based analysis of the economic significance of meetings in the U.S. – nearly 1.8 million meetings took place, attended by 205 million participants, generating over $263 billion in direct spending and creating 1.7 million jobs.  Last year in Florida, nearly 10.7 million visitors traveled to the state for business purposes, with more than 55 percent attending conventions, seminars and meetings.

For the past 31 years, VISIT FLORIDA has recognized the importance of the meetings and conventions industry by hosting Florida Encounter, our premier annual appointment-based trade show designed specifically to bring meetings business to Florida. November 13-15 marked the 31st Annual Florida Encounter, held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort and Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

During this year’s event, nearly 1,200 one-on-one appointments were conducted between visiting meeting professionals – representing 26 states plus Canada and France – and more than 125 event service companies, Florida meeting destinations, and meeting properties and facilities from all across the Sunshine State.  Dozens of media representatives were also in attendance who had the opportunity to take a hosted tour of the area and participate in the first-ever destination round table where media were able to focus the Q&A sessions on their specific areas of interest.

As a way for attendees to give back to the host community, VISIT FLORIDA organized a silent auction which raised nearly $2,600 to benefit the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet and volunteers participated in a corporate social responsibility activity at Lighthouse Point Park where they assisted with a beach beautification project.

VISIT FLORIDA serves more than 10,000 tourism industry businesses, including hotels and resorts, convention centers, amusement parks, convention and visitors bureaus, transportation companies and destination management companies. VISIT FLORIDA’s Meetings and Conventions team assists meeting professionals from around the world by providing complimentary assistance and managing/producing industry networking events and trade shows such as Florida Encounter.  Together, our efforts will continue to grow the state’s share of the meetings and conventions industry, which helps Florida’s economy and creates jobs.

For more information on Florida Encounter, please visit www.FloridaEncounter.com.  To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA’s official meeting professionals program and how your tourism business can get involved, go to www.Meetings.VISITFLORIDA.com.