Daytona Beach, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and VISIT FLORIDA President & CEO Dana Young visited Daytona Beach to emphasize the critical importance of the tourism industry in Florida and to launch a new marketing campaign leading into the Labor Day holiday weekend.

“This new intrastate marketing campaign is the latest step we’re taking to help get people back to work,” said Governor DeSantis. “While the pandemic is not over, and safety remains paramount, we encourage Floridians to venture out of their homes to enjoy everything our beautiful state has to offer.”

“At VISIT FLORIDA, we are proud to launch an in-state advertising campaign that is aimed at helping every Florida community recover,” said VISIT FLORIDA President & CEO Dana Young. “Our tourism businesses have been severely impacted, but there is no doubt that our state is still the best place to live and the best destination for travelers. Together with Governor DeSantis, VISIT FLORIDA and our state’s tourism industry will not stop until we have fully recovered and every Floridian whose job was impacted by COVID-19 can get back to work as quickly as possible.”

Tourism is a foundational pillar of Florida’s economy, accounting for more than 1.5 million jobs and $91 billion in revenue in 2019. But, due to a global downturn in travel caused by COVID-19, Florida visitation dropped by more than 60 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2020.

In response, VISIT FLORIDA has launched an in-state tourism marketing campaign to support the state’s economic recovery and struggling tourism labor market. The campaign will remind Floridians that their home state offers world-class tourism opportunities that most people must travel to other states and countries to experience.

VISIT FLORIDA expects to begin marketing to attract travelers from outside of Florida in the near future. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA’s in-state travel campaign, click here. To view the first advertisements for the campaign, click here and here.

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