• March 1, 2012

Florida's tourism arm Visit Florida is creating an Airline Grant Program, whose purpose is to support regional destination marketing organizations in the state by expanding international air service to Florida airports. The organization will budget up to $250,000 per year through 2016 to support the program, it says.

Said Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Visit Florida: “As we continue to position ourselves as the No. 1 travel destination in the world, this is a great way for the state to attract new overseas travelers by creating inbound flights to Florida.”

Visit Florida says the application process is now open for the 2012 Airline Grant and will remain open until June 30. It is scheduled to be renewed in the new fiscal year. Applications are at at the Airline Grant Program section of the Visit Florida industry Web site. 

The program is under the aegis of the State's Air Team Florida initiative to help Florida communities secure new international flights. Air Team Florida connects tourism destinations with airports and convention and visitors bureaus all across the state.

“By presenting a unified message in an incredibly competitive market, Air Team Florida is working to positively impact this critical segment of the travel industry,” said Thompson.

Air Team Florida will also have a presence at the 18th World Route Development Forum, which Visit Florida says is the largest global gathering of the route development community from the world’s airlines, airports and tourism authorities. It will be held in Abu Dhabi this September.