State tourism marketing organization Visit Florida is offering a $2.5 million grant program aimed at helping businesses tap the medical tourism market.
The program is made up of two separate grants – a destination promotion grant, to raise awareness of an existing medical tourism product or service and a grant for businesses promoting medical meetings and training.
The funding’s aim is to help increase exposure of existing medical tourism products and services in the state, as well as strengthen Florida’s reputation as a destination for medical conferences, meetings and medical training programs.
The Florida Legislature recently approved $5 million in funding to go towards marketing the state as a preferred destination for medical tourism.
"As a successful public-private partnership Visit Florida is well-positioned to help leverage the state’s investment with the private sector to increase medical tourism in the Sunshine State," said Visit Florida CEO Will Seccombe in a statement.
"The establishment of these grants is a tremendous first step in our strategic planning process to spotlight Florida’s world-class doctors and facilities."
Visit Florida said each grant awarded will be matched by a similar amount from private investment.
Applications, which must be received by the December 8 deadline, are being sought for destination marketing organizations, health care providers, and medical centers.
