VISIT FLORIDA re-energizes state's foremost travel trade show

Click here for the digital media release, with downloadable assets.

Click here for the Florida Huddle media site, posting this news in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

TALLAHASSEE – Florida's world-renowned theme parks in Orlando will return in 2014 to the state's foremost travel trade show, Florida Huddle, now owned and operated by VISIT FLORIDA.

The expanded, redesigned show, set for Jan. 14-16, 2014, in Palm Beach County, is gaining new and former participants enthused about revised platforms allowing buyers and suppliers to schedule their meetings earlier and more effectively than ever before -- a popular improvement implemented by VISIT FLORIDA.

Will Seccombe, VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO, announced Thursday that Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando will all be participating in the 38th annual Florida Huddle for the first time in several years.

“With our reinvention of Florida Huddle, we're proud to welcome back these three Strategic Alliance Partners to help showcase Florida to the world,” Seccombe said.

Since acquiring the trade show last year, VISIT FLORIDA has been assembling new functionality to better serve the needs of buyers, suppliers and travel media.

Key points about VISIT FLORIDA's Florida Huddle:

Expanded opportunities for appointments, allowing two full days of one-on-one meetings between buyers and suppliers

• Scheduling of appointments to begin weeks earlier than in years past, for more effective planning
• New platform for media to schedule appointments with buyers and suppliers
• Increased attention to niche buyers, such as destination weddings and incentive travel
• State-of-the-art conference site at the Palm Beach County Convention Center
• Full range of digital and support services provided by VISIT FLORIDA
• Opening night festivities at The Breakers Palm Beach, a Florida icon built by tycoon Henry Flagler, father of Florida tourism.

For more information about Florida Huddle 2014:

 www.FloridaHuddle.com,  facebook.com/FloridaHuddle, @FloridaHuddle

Media contact at VISIT FLORIDA:
Laura Cassels, lcassels@VISITFLORIDA.org
(850) 205-3839; (850)363-5801 mobile

As the Sunshine State's No. 1 industry, tourism was responsible for welcoming 91.5 million visitors in 2012 who spent $71.8 billion, generating 23 percent of the state's sales tax revenue and employing more than 1 million Floridians.  As a public/private partnership, VISIT FLORIDA serves nearly 12,000 tourism industry businesses, including 2,700 invested Partners, 9,200 web affiliates and major strategic alliance partnerships with Disney Destinations, Dollar Rent A Car, The Hertz Corporation, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment and Universal Orlando. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, please go to http://www.VISITFLORIDA.com, www.VISITFLORIDA.org or our corporate blog at www.SunshineMatters.org.