Drew Wilson
The state’s tourism marketing arm, VISIT FLORIDA, said Friday that it’s teaming up with JetBlue on a campaign to lure more visitors to Florida.
The “JetBlue Sunshine State of Mind Fare Sale” is part of a $9 million effort to help tourism bounce back in the wake of Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 storm that made landfall in Northwest Florida two months ago.
“Following Hurricane Michael and this year’s red tide blooms, it’s more important than ever for us to spread the message that the Sunshine State is open for business,” said VISIT FLORIDA president Ken Lawson. “Through this strategic partnership with JetBlue, we are making it even easier for visitors to experience our great state as we work to establish Florida as the number one global destination.”
The campaign will offer flyers a discount on fares Boston, New York and Washington to seven Florida airports — Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Sarasota-Bradenton, Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach. The catch: The sale is today only.
“The Sunshine State is open for business and we’re excited to welcome travelers to our seven Florida destinations,” said JetBlue regional marketing manager Nicole Tesser. “Florida has so much to offer travelers, from beaches to culture, to art and cuisine. We will continue to work with our partners at VISIT FLORIDA to bring visitors to the Sunshine State.”
VISIT FLORIDA said it plans to boost ticket sales for the day via an email blast to JetBlue customers, paid social media posts targeting key markets, digital billboards in Boston and New York, as well as a partnership with the New York Daily News that will tout the sale and give away three trips to the Sunshine State.
Though the discounts will only last until midnight on Friday, they’re good for all Sunday through Tuesday flights from Jan. 7 through Feb. 12 of next year.
