Dana Young stepping down as Visit Florida chief
Dana Young has shared plans to step down as President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.
She announced her retirement after six years leading the state’s official tourism marketing organization.
Young is the longest-serving agency head in the Ron DeSantis Administration, but will remain in the role until a new President and CEO is appointed and onboarded.
Despite some headwinds due to severe hurricanes and political issues, Florida’s tourism has reached new heights, with 140.6 million visitors in 2023 driving a $127.7 billion economic impact.
Visitation rose 7.3% during her tenure, and economic impact grew 32.4%.
“Dana Young’s leadership at VISIT FLORIDA has been transformative, ensuring Florida remains the top destination for travelers. Her tireless dedication has created record-breaking and lasting success for Florida’s economy and tourism industry,” said J. Alex Kelly, Florida Secretary of Commerce
“During Dana Young’s tenure, Florida’s tourism industry has consistently set records and exceeded all expectations. She has done more for our state and industry than we could ever measure,: added John Lai, Chairman of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors
Young said: “I am so grateful to Governor DeSantis for the opportunity to lead VISIT FLORIDA for the past six years. I am very proud of the work we have done (and will continue to do) at VISIT FLORIDA, maximizing return on investment for Florida taxpayers.”
Under Young’s leadership, VISIT FLORIDA expanded its membership to include every destination in the state, secured record funding, and elevated Florida to the #1 overseas destination surpassing New York for the first time since 2001.
Florida’s recovery from the pandemic significantly outpaced that of the US as a whole, beating projections by two years.
Before joining VISIT FLORIDA, Young served eight years in the Florida Legislature, representing the City of Tampa and parts of Hillsborough County.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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