Write Your Legislator
You elect your legislators, and they want to know your position on issues. Write your legislator to support our request for additional public funding for VISIT FLORIDA. Your help can ensure the continued growth of our tourism industry. Below are web sites to help you determine your legislators and obtain their contact information. Once you find your legislators, we have included a sample letter to help you reach out to your elected officials and make Florida’s tourism count.
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Legislator,
As a voter in your district and a member of the Partnership for Florida’s Tourism, I urge you to support our request of additional public funding for VISIT FLORIDA to fight for Florida’s tourism industry.
A dollar in advertising in 1997 only buys 57 cents worth of advertising today, which means media inflation is draining the power of our state’s marketing resources. Furthermore, other top destinations around the world, such as California, Hawaii, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania are aggressively increasing their tourism marketing efforts and budgets, and as a result, Florida visitation has become unstable.
With my colleagues in the Partnership for Florida’s Tourism, I am requesting that you increase VISIT FLORIDA’s public funding to bring visitors and tax revenues to our state. A one percent increase in Florida visitation produces $37.2 million in general revenue collections. Thus, additional funding for tourism marketing will generate more tax revenues for education, healthcare, building roads, and other vital programs on which all Floridians depend.
Quite simply, an investment in tourism marketing is an investment in strengthening Florida’s economy. Every public dollar invested in VISIT FLORIDA generates more than three dollars of additional sales tax revenue paid by visitors, not residents.
I strongly encourage you to support the request for additional public funding necessary to surpass our competitors’ tourism marketing efforts and secure Florida as a leader in the global tourism marketplace.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State, Zip]