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Viva Florida! Media Alert

NEWS RELEASE TOPIC:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2009

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WHO: The Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED), VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official source for travel planning, and the Florida Department of State.

Expected attendees include Florida Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning, Consul General of Spain Santiago Cabanas Ansorena and VISIT FLORIDA President/CEO Chris Thompson amongst other dignitaries.

WHAT: On Tuesday, May 12, 2009, the state of Florida launches a multi-year, multi-city consumer awareness campaign called Viva Florida! to educate audiences and promote cultural and heritage travel throughout the state. Home to the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas and the oldest city in the United States, Florida boasts a recorded history older than that of any other state, even Virginia (Jamestown).

Ceremony activities include the unveiling of the Viva Florida! logo, website (www.VivaFlorida.org) and Florida Spanish Colonial Heritage Trail Guide.

WHERE: Mission San Luis

2020 Mission Road

Tallahassee, FL 32304

Tel. 850-487-3711

WHEN: 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 12th

RSVP: Media can RSVP by calling Heather Krasnow at 954-940-1353 or via email at hkrasnow@starmark.com.

Why: To promote Florida’s rich Spanish Colonial history and culture to visitors and residents, and to start a new chapter in our relationship with Spain emphasizing future opportunities in tourism, trade, economic development, education and cultural exchange.

Economic Impact Information & Additional Relevant Facts:

· For every $1 that federal, state, and local governments invest in the arts, arts organizations create $8 in revenue for the public sector.(2)

· In January 2009, the Florida Chamber identified quality of life as a key component to Florida’s economic recovery. The Chamber specifically cited arts & culture as a way to attract business and improve quality of life for Floridians.(3)

· As of January 2008, Florida is home to 40,081 arts-related businesses that employ 168,468 people.(4)

· Florida’s cultural industry is part of a national industry with over $166 billion; $63.1 billion spent directly by cultural organizations and $103.1 billion spent by attendees on event-related expenditures.(5)

· The average amount spent by cultural event attendees is $27.70 plus admission.(6)

· Cultural resources have been considered by Scripps Research and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in reports on where to locate new businesses in Florida.(7)

Tourism

The direct spending of cultural tourists in Florida is $4.5 billion annually. This amounts to $9.3 billion in total economic impact annually.(8)
74.9% of visitors to Florida participate in cultural activities.(9)
Cultural tourists spend twice as much as local attendees in non-event related expenses ($40.19 to $19.53). Florida’s cultural tourists spend more than tourists not attending cultural events ($631 to $457).(10)
Nearly $4 billion is spent annually in Florida by tourists who visit historic sites, and VISIT FLORIDA surveys show that nearly 50% of Florida visitors participate in history-based activities (such as Viva Florida) while on vacation. (Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation in Florida study by the University of Florida)

Footnotes: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8- Americans for the Arts; 3- Florida Chamber of Commerce; 7, 10, 13- Florida Cultural Alliance; 9- Florida TaxWatch; 11- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Arts Education Partnership, and the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities; 14- Florida Department of Education.

As the state’s number one industry, tourism is responsible for welcoming more than 80 million visitors each year, which results in over $60 billion in taxable sales revenue and employs in excess of 1 million Floridians. For every $1 spent on tourism marketing, VISIT FLORIDA – the state’s official tourism marketing corporation – generates more than $55 in tourism spending and $3 in new sales tax collections, paid by visitors, not residents. VISIT FLORIDA promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations, new product development and visitor services programs. As a public/private partnership VISIT FLORIDA has more than 3,100 tourism industry Partners and major strategic alliances with American Express Travel Related Services, AirTran Airways, Disney Destinations, Dollar Rent A Car, The Hertz Corporation, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Orlando. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, visit www.VISITFLORIDA.org.