Florida Governor Honored for Commitment to Travel and Tourism

Florida Governor Rick Scott has received a distinguished leadership award from the U.S. Travel Association in appreciation for his work on travel and tourism promotion.

In remarks at the Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow highlighted Governor Scott’s successful efforts to attract more visitors to Florida amid challenges that have faced the state.

“Throughout his term, Governor Scott has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to travel as a critical pillar of the economy and jobs base in the Sunshine State,” said Dow. “Faced with numerous natural and man-made challenges, he realized the importance of sending a message of welcome both domestically and internationally, reminding both domestic and international travelers of all that Florida has to offer visitors.

“In particular, Governor Scott’s efforts to protect VISIT FLORIDA’s funding from misguided political challenges have paid dividends for the state. In 2016, Florida enjoyed a record of nearly 113 million visitors. More importantly, the dollars those visitors spent during their trips supported 1.4 million jobs for Florida workers, making the state one of America’s strongest examples of the economic power of travel.

“The travel industry is very proud of all that Governor Scott has been able to accomplish during his years in office. Other states should be as fortunate to have such a travel champion in the top job.”

“It was an honor to accept this award on behalf of the many Florida families and businesses that support our growing tourism industry," said Governor Scott in a statement. "Tourism is a major job creator and economic engine for our state, and we will continue to work each day to market Florida and meet our goal of welcoming 120 million visitors this year.”

U.S. Travel presented the award to Governor Scott during a lunchtime ceremony at the Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, the state’s premier educational conference for the tourism industry.