VISIT FLORIDA, the state's official tourism marketing corporation, serves as Florida's official source for travel planning to visitors across the globe. VISIT FLORIDA is not a government agency, but rather a not-for-profit corporation created as a public/private partnership by the Florida Legislature in 1996.

As the state's number one industry, tourism was responsible for welcoming 94.7 million visitors in 2013 who spent $76.1 billion, generating 23 percent of the state's sales tax revenue and employing nearly 1.1 million Floridians. For every $1 spent on tourism marketing, VISIT FLORIDA generates more than $390 in tourism spending and $23 in new sales tax collections, paid by visitors, not residents.

Additional funding is secured from the private sector to expand VISIT FLORIDA's marketing dollars. Last fiscal year, VISIT FLORIDA raised more than $108.6 million in private sector matching funds. This is done by actively recruiting the state's tourism industry to invest as Partners through cooperative advertising campaigns, promotional programs and many other pay-to-play ventures. Through this public/private partnership, VISIT FLORIDA serves nearly 12,000 tourism industry businesses, including major strategic alliance partnerships with Disney Destinations, The Hertz Corporation, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Orlando.

VISIT FLORIDA facilitates tourism industry participation in domestic and international travel trade and consumer shows, as well as media missions to the top global visitor markets. VISIT FLORIDA also works closely with travel agents, tour operators, meeting and event planners, and is responsible for operating Florida's five Official Welcome Centers.