WTM 2017 NEWS YOU CAN USE


Visit Florida ramps up UK budget by 45% to $4m


Katie McGonagle


katie.mcgonagle@ travelweekly.co.uk


Visit Florida will increase its UK marketing spend by 45% in 2018, which is reassuring news for the UK trade following a scandal that threatened to cut its budget by two-thirds.


The tourism body will launch a $2 million winter marketing campaign, from January to March 2018, to drive demand from the northwest of England, with digital and broadcast advertising on Heart Radio in Manchester, Liverpool and London. Last year’s radio campaign ran only in the capital. The campaign accounts for half of


Visit Florida’s $4 million UK budget, part of an international marketing allowance of $11 million. Visit Florida has been embroiled in a funding row that led to a bill threatening to cut its $76 million


budget to just $25 million, though this was later overturned, following a controversial $1 million contract with rapper Pitbull to promote the state on social media and through a Florida-based music video. Chief executive Ken Lawson said:


“We had a little bit of turbulence, but we’re now fully funded and we’re putting more money into marketing than ever. What matters to us is the UK market. “Instead of focusing on every country, we’re focusing on key markets by cutting $12 million


DISPUTE: Miami rapper Pitbull had a $1m deal to promote Florida in 2015-16


in sponsorship and putting that money into marketing.” The UK and Ireland was


Florida’s second-biggest source market in 2016, with 1.7 million British visitors and just under 200,000 Irish travellers. Next year’s trade activity will


focus on promoting lesser-visited parts of Florida via operator and agent fam trips, including the Panhandle, Daytona Beach and Sarasota, and on trips before and


after trade show Florida Huddle. visitflorida.com


SAT to host events to celebrate centenary of Mandela’s birth


South African Tourism has urged agents to make the most of a programme of events next year to mark the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth. ‘Nelson Mandela Centenary


2018: Be the Legacy’ will comprise events in South Africa from art exhibitions and sports to educational activities. There will be supporting events in the UK, including a Nelson Mandela Exhibition in London in July. Tolene van der Merwe, UK &


Ireland head of South African Tourism, said: “We have got an online training programme, SA Specialist, and in that there will be a whole module around Mandela’s 100th [birthday]. “We’re also working with


operators to create their own Mandela 100 tours for 2018. “We will be getting out to


the trade to make sure agents understand who he was and what legacy is left behind, and to understand how important that year is to us as a destination.” southafrica.net


PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCK


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