Visit Florida recently received a $10.5 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast to promote its northwestern region. This region includes eight counties that were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill many years ago. The beaches in the Florida Panhandle are described as uncrowded and less developed compared to South Florida. Visit Florida plans to launch a regional campaign called “Adventure within Reach” to highlight adventure travel opportunities in all eight counties, as well as individual marketing programs for each county to showcase specific attractions.
In addition to the grant for the northwestern region, Visit Florida also received $5 million in their budget to promote nature-based travel and trails. They are focusing on promoting the over 15,000 miles of trails in Florida that offer various outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking, and more. Visit Florida is targeting impulse travelers, particularly millennials and young adults, with campaigns aimed at increasing bookings during the spring months. The organization is working on developing campaigns to attract more visitors to the state.
In response to the NAACP travel advisory placed on Florida due to controversial laws, Visit Florida notes that any meetings that were canceled resulted in new conventions taking their place. Revenue for meetings and conventions in 2023 increased by 13%, outpacing leisure bookings. Visit Florida views such advisories as mainly publicity stunts rather than having a significant impact on tourism in the state. The organization continues to promote events and conventions in Florida to drive tourism.
Florida’s Latin American tourism market is performing well, with Mexico being a significant source of visitors. However, long wait times for visitor visas continue to impact Florida’s tourism industry, particularly due to the state’s high visitation levels from Latin America. Visit Florida has met with the State Department to address the issue but notes that the wait times fluctuate, affecting tourism from Latin American countries. Despite this, Brazil tourism has seen growth, reaching a million visitors for the first time since 2019.
Fort Myers, in Lee County, was devastated by Hurricane Ian in the fall of 2022, leading to negative publicity and destruction. Tourism in the area has been gradually recovering, with 77% of hotel rooms back open as of April 11th. The airport saw a significant increase in visitors in March compared to the previous year, indicating positive trends. Despite being off 29% from pre-hurricane levels, Fort Myers has been reopening accommodations and properties, including a new resort, Margaritaville Resort.
During the pandemic, Florida saw an increase in travel spending from 2019 and an increase in its domestic market share, largely coming from California. Visit Florida began marketing in California during the pandemic, leading to Los Angeles becoming one of the top inbound markets for the state. Florida’s Michelin Stars partnership has also been successful in attracting culinary talent to the state and highlighting unique local cuisine. Visit Florida’s efforts to promote dining experiences throughout the state have been well-received, with an increase in the perception of Florida having unique local cuisine.
