WTE Miami 2023: Visit Florida Makes a Strong Case

Visit Florida, the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida, located in the southeastern United States, was established in 1996 as a public-private partnership, with a primary goal aimed at promoting and enhancing Florida's tourism industry by attracting visitors from around the world.

Visit Florida plays a crucial role in showcasing the state's unique offerings to potential tourists. Through advertising campaigns, digital marketing, public relations efforts, and collaboration with local businesses and travel partners, Visit Florida strives to highlight the state's diverse attractions and encourage visitors to explore its many destinations.

The corporation’s president and CEO, Dana Young, was one of the keynote speakers in today’s opening session of the World Travel Expo (WTE) Miami 2023, which takes place on June 14-16 at the Miami International Airport Convention Center.

“Tourism is Florida's number one industry. It is the lifeblood of our state and everything else revolves around it. We support 1.7 million jobs for Floridians here in our state. And last year, tourists brought $102 billion to Florida's economy,” she said during her presentation of the state of the industry.

One of the main draws of Florida is its stunning coastline and world-class beaches. From the white sands of the Gulf Coast to the lively shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida's beaches are renowned for their beauty and recreational opportunities. Visit Florida promotes these beach destinations through captivating imagery, videos, and engaging content to entice travelers seeking sun, sand, and relaxation. 

And for the good of Florida, its residents believe the industry brings nothing but good things for the state and its economy.

“Floridians' views and attitudes toward tourism within their state show that a majority of Floridians either agree or strongly agree that tourism provides a better quality of life for themselves and their families. This is important because if our residents appreciate tourism and appreciate our visitors that they will continue to be wonderful ambassadors for Florida, and they will continue to exude that warm hospitality that we are known for. So, we're going to continue keeping our finger on the pulse of how our residents feel about tourism and make sure that we're doing a good job of helping educate them of how important this industry is”, an enthusiastic Dana Young told the audience attending WTE Miami 2023.

Mrs. Young explained that during the pre-pandemic period, the state logged 131 million visitors in 2019, only to peak 138 million visitors for 2022, even though international visitation is still off pretty significantly. 

“We estimate that Florida is down about 28% and our inbound international visitation, compared to the rest of the country which is down about 40%, means that we're doing great, but those numbers are not acceptable to us,” she added. “We continue to work with all of our international markets to get those numbers back up”. 

The only downside expressed by Mrs. Young was what she called “the ridiculous visa wait times that mostly first-time visitors are seeing when they're trying to get a visa to come to the United States”, something she admits is out of Visit Florida’s control. 

“Seven of our top 10 inbound markets are in Latin America and six of those require visas despite our incredibly high market share. We are as a state disproportionately impacted by these visa wait times”, she explained.

Florida is also home to numerous theme parks and family-friendly attractions that cater to visitors of all ages. The state is famous for Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, which encompasses multiple theme parks, water parks, and entertainment complexes. Visit Florida showcases the excitement and magic of these attractions, making it a prime destination for families planning their vacations.

In recent years, Visit Florida has embraced digital marketing and social media platforms to reach a broader audience. Their online presence provides potential visitors with comprehensive travel resources, including information on accommodations, dining, attractions, and upcoming events. By leveraging technology and engaging with travelers on various platforms, Visit Florida has adapted to the evolving landscape of tourism marketing.