Sunshine Matters

In 2013, an estimated 69 million international tourists visited the United States spending approximately $180.7 billion on tourism-related goods and services.  Florida captured 22% of these visitors as we hosted over 15 million international tourists last year, a 9% increase over 2012.  The United States’ Travel and Tourism Strategy, launched in 2012, sets a goal of attracting 100 million international visitors by 2021.  This is in sync with VISIT FLORIDA’s own goal to reach 100 million visitors by 2015.

Key to our success is to ensure we continue to grow the state’s share of all international visitors.  Begun in 2011, VISIT FLORIDA’s Air Team Florida initiative is positioning the state to remain competitive as we continue to attract new international air service.  As part of this initiative, VISIT FLORIDA’s two-year old airline grant program was established as an annual matching grant to support destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and airports with securing new international air service to Florida.  This grant is intended to drive demand for new service to Florida and not to subsidize seats.

In its first full year, one grant was awarded at $100,000 for service between Zurich and Tampa via Edelweiss Air.  The total available for the program at that time was set at $250,000.  As awareness of this unique and innovative program grew, VISIT FLORIDA increased the matching dollars available to $1 million.  During the current fiscal year, eight grant applications have been received totaling $600,000.  With the matching dollar stipulations – VISIT FLORIDA matches the airport and/or DMO and the airline matches both – the value of the campaigns to promote the new service is worth $3 million.  The estimated economic impact to the state is $1.9 billion.  New service into the state as part of this initiative is now, or soon will be, offered by Norwegian Airlines, Copa Airlines, Qatar Airways, Jetairfly and American Airlines.

Florida is uniquely positioned to offer this innovative program with 14 of our 19 commercial airports designated as international.  For long-haul travelers this means Florida is more geographically convenient.  In 2013, Miami International was ranked No. 2 in the U.S. as a port of entry for overseas arrivals (excluding arrivals from Canada and Mexico) and Orlando International was No. 9.  Respectively, 3.9 million and over 950,000 non-U.S. residents arrived in the U.S. via these airports.  This represents a 9% increase for Miami and 5% for Orlando year-over-year.

During peak travel periods, Florida has over 195,000 airline seats arriving into the state from Europe, South America and Central America per week.  Considering load factors, this equates to more than 149,000 passengers per week.  Acquiring one new major flight arriving four times per week from a core European market is estimated to have an economic impact totaling $793,000 per week to the local and state economy.

To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA’s airline grant program, please click here.