VISIT FLORIDA rallies troops

Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Visit Florida, pledged never to be caught off guard by government budget shortfalls again in a message sent to industry partners on June 15. Visit Florida faced serious budget cuts in 2009 after the governor and Florida Legislature faced a $6 billion deficit.

“I’m not saying we won’t face additional budget scrutiny,” Thompson says. “From this point forward Visit Florida will be as passionate about our commitment to government relations as we are to destination marketing.”

Visit Florida is a statewide destination marketing organization funded by a public/private partnership. Collectively, Visit Florida’s partners have invested more than $220 million in the state’s marketing efforts since 1996.

“We will have meaningful relationships with members of the legislature in both chambers and their staffs in district and Tallahassee,” Thompson continues. “They will have a clear understanding of the importance of the tourism industry and believe in the value of tourism marketing.”

Thompson asked each Visit Florida partner to reach out to their elected officials and let them know tourism marketing is important to the state’s business and economic vitality.