Scott Powers
VISIT FLORIDA is joining Airbnb, the state’s largest vacation-rental marketing company, on a new campaign to put backwater escapes and mainline attractions into the minds of Floridians and others needing a holiday.
The pair are launching Rediscover Florida, a new web-based marketing campaign, which provides links to dozens of small attractions, write-ups on driving trips, and many of Airbnb’s Florida hosts’ properties. Suggestions range from treehouse lodging in Kissimmee to staying in large homes on Marco Island.
Some links lead to Airbnb pages, others to VISIT FLORIDA pages.
“We are thrilled to partner with Airbnb on this new campaign to further boost the recovery of Florida’s tourism industry, our state’s top economic driver,” VISIT FLORIDA President Dana Young stated in a news release issued on behalf of both entities. “Whether you’re ready to travel now or planning a future getaway, the Sunshine Shine offers infinite opportunities for a safe, memorable vacation, and this campaign will be instrumental for driving visitation to every community in Florida.”
The campaign is VISIT FLORIDA’s latest effort to help Florida’s tourism and hospitality businesses out of the travel industry’s deep funk of the coronavirus crisis. In 2020, Florida’s number of visitors dropped to 86.7 million, from a record 131.4 million visitors in 2019.
Last fall, VISIT FLORIDA started promoting tourism to in-state visitors for the first time in history. VISIT FLORIDA also has turned to more marketing to out-of-state people who might visit Florida by car. This effort also addresses that market.
Airbnb survey data shows people view travel in 2021 as a way to connect with family and friends, with more than half preferring a domestic or local destination versus visiting someplace international and farther away.
The Rediscover Florida campaign mainly promotes outdoor activities in Florida: fishing, boating, kayaking, zip-lining, tubing, beach visits, camping, hiking, swimming, diving, horseback riding, beekeeping, playing with goats.
“We’re proud to support the return of safe and responsible travel in Florida and, in turn, help small businesses and Floridians who rely on tourism,” Viviana Jordan, Airbnb’s public policy manager for Florida, said in the release. “We hope this campaign inspires and encourages people to rediscover the amazing places and people throughout the state, and we look forward to continuing to work with VISIT FLORIDA to find innovative ways to support the tourism industry.”
