VISIT FLORIDA

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VISIT FLORIDA is the first ever private/public marketing partnership in the United States and is designed to increase Florida's number one industry--tourism.

On June 19, 1996, Governor Lawton Chiles signed a bill that dissolved Florida's Department of Commerce and turned its tourism functions over to the Florida Commission on Tourism. The Florida Commission on Tourism is a private/public partnership, consisting of the Governor, one member from the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives and representatives from the various sectors of the state's tourism industry. In order to fulfill its mandate, the Florida Commission on Tourism created the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation (FTIMC) which does business as VISIT FLORIDA.

VISIT FLORIDA is mandated by the State to match that public funding, dollar-for-dollar, with private funds. These private funds come from several sources, including direct investment by VISIT FLORIDA’s industry Partners, Strategic Alliance Partners, cooperative advertising ventures, promotional media equivalency and merchandising of VISIT FLORIDA branded products. Currently, for each public dollar is matched by about $2.50 in private contributions.

VISIT FLORIDA also operates the state’s five Official Florida Welcome Centers at I-10 (Pensacola), US 231 (Campbellton), Capitol (Tallahassee), I-75 (Jennings), and I-95 (Yulee).