Visit Florida has approved job cuts even as Gov. Ron DeSantis announced record breaking first quarter visitor arrivals.
The state destination marketing agency will make $3.65 million payroll cuts and reduce $17.8 million in strategic marketing.
Its annual payroll budget is about $12.1 million with a workforce of 135 employees
The cuts come as Florida’s tourism marketing arm was granted a reduced budget of $50 million compared to $76 million previously.
"It is critical that we keep visitation to Florida, and the revenue it generates, healthy and robust. Visit Florida plays an important role in this goal and we will continue to support their work on behalf of Florida and our hardworking taxpayers," DeSantis said, who is a fan of the organization despite strong opposition from Florida lawmakers.
It welcomed 35.7 million visitors in the first three months of 2019.which is a near 6% year-over-year increase.
This year it has to prove its worth or it could be eliminated when funding ends in mid-2021.
"I remain confident in the value provided by tourism marketing. We must continue our efforts to promote and protect visitation to Florida," said Visit Florida CEP Dana Young.
The Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations said the marketing agency is key to the state’s economy and Visit Florida’s marketing budget is money well spent.
"People don’t come to Florida by accident – it takes the partnerships between businesses, local marketing organizations and Visit Florida to help small and local tourism-reliant businesses thrive and grow," it said.
The Florida House had ought to eliminate the agency in the last session but allowed an extra fiscal year after support from DeSantis.
A change in marketing strategy will see Visit Florida cut back on expensive TV advertising and concentrate more on digital and social media channels.
It pledged to ‘make the best of every penny’ Young said.
