TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— VISIT FLORIDA received results from its mid-year Integrated Marketing Effectiveness Survey, showing growth in campaign awareness and demonstrable, positive impact on traveler behavior, perceptions of Florida, and the visitation to the state.
The Integrated Marketing Effectiveness study, or IME, measures how VISIT FLORIDA’s paid, owned, and earned marketing efforts influence traveler awareness, perceptions, intent to visit, and brand health while benchmarking Florida against key competitor destinations (like California, New York, Hawaii, Texas, the Caribbean, etc.)
From June to December 2025, awareness of VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing campaign increased four points from the same period last year, with visibility from 1 out of every 2 respondents. Among consumers aware of VISIT FLORIDA marketing, 67 percent said the campaign influenced them to take at least one positive Florida travel-related action, including booking a trip, lengthening a planned stay, adding attractions to an itinerary, recommending Florida to a friend or family member, visiting a new place in the state, or trying something new while in Florida.
Most importantly, awareness of VISIT FLORIDA marketing campaigns directly boosted future travel intent, generating a 14-point increase in travelers considering a visit to Florida within the next two years and a 14-point increase in travelers making definite plans to visit within the next year.
“VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing continues to deliver measurable results for the state and our tourism industry,” said Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “As a public-private partnership, we strive to ensure we are delivering maximum return for the people of Florida with our marketing efforts. This measure of accountability is owed to the people of Florida, and we are pleased to present this data that shows we are effective in our marketing efforts and increasing visitation to the state.”
The survey also found that VISIT FLORIDA marketing strengthened key perceptions of the state. Travelers aware of the marketing were 23 points more likely to view Florida as good value for money, 21 points more likely to view Florida as affordable, and 22 points more likely to view Florida as a place with unique local cuisine. Against our key competitors, Florida ranks #1 for value, which is increasingly top of mind for travelers.
Beyond travel, aware audiences also had stronger positive perceptions of Florida as a place to do business by 25 points, to work by 23 points, and to study by 21 points compared to those unaware of VISIT FLORIDA marketing.
The results further show that Florida continues to stand out against our key competitor destinations on the attributes most important to out-of-state travelers. Among the 11 destination attributes deemed most important, Florida ranked first or second on nine of them, including safety, value, affordability and variety.
When compared directly to destinations such as California, New York, the Caribbean, and Hawaii, Florida achieved first place on several core attributes, including ‘activities for children and families’ at 74 percent, ‘variety of things to do’ at 69 percent, and ‘ease of planning’ and ‘ease of travel’ at 60 percent each.
The Integrated Marketing Effectiveness Study is performed monthly with over 1,000 respondents in each sample. In a year, cumulative IME participation is over 13,000 respondents.
Florida’s tourism industry remains one of the state’s most important economic drivers, supporting jobs, generating tax revenue, and strengthening communities across all 67 counties. In a year, revenue generated from tourism in the state saves each of Florida’s 9.1 million households nearly $2,000 in taxes. VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing effectively drives visitors to the state and helps maintain Florida’s position as the top vacation destination in the nation.
