Name: New CEO, new strategy: Should Florida keep VISIT FLORIDA?
Uploaded: 2025-12-30T03:12:49.549Z
Duration: 2 min 59 s
Description: As lawmakers return to Tallahassee next month, VISIT FLORIDA may once again face scrutiny over whether the state’s tourism bureau is still worth its roughly $80 million annual price tag.

As lawmakers return to Tallahassee next month, VISIT FLORIDA may once again face scrutiny over whether the state’s tourism bureau is still worth its roughly $80 million annual price tag.

Florida

Florida's tourism agency, Visit Florida, is under review as state lawmakers question whether its $80 million annual budget is justified. Supporters, including Governor Ron DeSantis, argue the agency is vital for maintaining Florida's tourism edge, citing innovations and significant tax revenue generated by the sector.

Critics, however, point to ongoing budget concerns and recent controversies, such as the removal of LGBTQ travel pages, as reasons to reconsider the agency's future. The fate of Visit Florida remains uncertain beyond 2026, with legislative leaders divided and no current bill to dissolve the agency, though previous repeal efforts have surfaced late in past sessions.

New CEO, new strategy: Should Florida keep VISIT FLORIDA?

As we head into the new year, Florida's Tourism Bureau may be on the chopping block. State lawmakers are now debating whether the $80 million agency is actually worth the investment. And tonight, our Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders is following the money. For a few more days. Florida is awash with holiday vacationers. Thanks in part, so say supporters, to Visit Florida, the state's tourism bureau. Oh, no, no, no. Please sit down. Governor Ron DeSantis, one of them. Keeping Visit Florida funded at about $80 million for another fiscal year in his latest budget proposal. But that's as the Florida House has tried for years to ditch Visit Florida and its expenses. Last session, it was a tax package that would have dissolved all 62 local tourist development councils. And before that, a post-pandemic plan to cut Visit Florida's state funding and replace it with local tourism taxes. Backers saying state policy was doing the work, not the bureau. Florida, it's a supply and demand thing. Florida was open. We had no masks. People came to Florida because we were free. But these days, the agency is refreshing itself, touting new numbers, a new strategy, and new CEO, Brian Griffin. Tourism is an investment in the state of Florida, and the state of Florida has made that investment far before me. And it has paid dividends. Griffin argues Visit Florida isn't only helping, it's vital for Florida to keep its tourism edge. He's touting new innovations, ways to find and engage travelers through AI and outreach with new markets like Brazil. In one year, about $37 billion of tax revenues or $2,000 per Florida household was generated through tourism. So that's an investment that's important in the state of Florida. We safeguard that investment. But critics haven't gone quiet, worried about the expenses at a time when the state is looking to cut its costs, or allegations that the bureau is playing politics. It hurts. It hurts to kind of be erased in that way. LGBTQ advocates still pressing for answers after Visit Florida quietly deleted its LGBTQ travel pages last year. They've warned it sends a message that the state doesn't value inclusive tourism. From a business standpoint, it just doesn't make sense to me. This is a high income, high revenue generating demographic for the state. It's also unclear how the program will fare in 2026 and beyond. Current House Speaker Danny Perez is already at odds with the governor on a bunch of issues, meaning Visit Florida could get caught in the crossfire. Speaker-designate Garrison, you may approach the wall. And the next House Speaker, Sam Garrison, punted on whether he'd like the bureau to stay put during his tenure. What do you think? Does she stick around? We'll have that discussion when we get here in 2027 or whatever it is. I'm not worried about that one right now. Now at last check for 2026, we don't have any kind of Visit Florida repeal bill, at least not yet. Previous attempts have dropped late in session, so there's still plenty of time. And the gavel drops January 13th, just a few weeks away. That's the latest out here at the state capitol. I'm Forrest Summers reporting.

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