Visit Florida Ready To Take Back Canada

Visit Florida was “asleep at the wheel” while Canadian visitation submarined over 15 consecutive quarters but a “major initiative” is in the works to kick-start a rebound after “taking the market for granted,” reports Quebec editor, Mike Dunbar in this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.

Those were the frank admissions and sincere promise made by Visit Florida executive Nelson Mongiovi during last week’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Hollywood.

The interim chief marketing officer told a packed breakout session that he wanted to “separate fact from fiction” and despite everything they had heard the destination marketer is “fully functional and doing great things.”

He conceded that Visit Florida had been quiet for the past 60 days but had been “incredibly busy” working on a wholesale reorganization that involved, in part, writing a new marketing plan, developing an integrated budget and rejigging the co-op program.

“It’s been hell getting there but we’re on a new path,” Mongiovi declared.

He explained that Visit Florida had recognized the importance of Canada by shifting the number-one foreign tourist generator from the international segment and moving it into a new North American domestic market with a $30 million spend allotment, versus $11 million for the international market with the focus on the UK, Germany, Brazil and China.

For the full story, check out this week’s digital edition of Canadian Travel Press.