Nearly 300 attraction industry professionals convened for the Florida Attractions 2023 Annual Conference in Fort Myers June 11-14 as we celebrated the strength, resilience and determination of our industry. #FloridaAttractionsStrong

To our attendees - thank you for sharing in our extraordinary three days of inspiration and innovation. For those who missed it - we hope you'll consider your industry's annual conference an essential part of your professional development in 2024.

Visit our recap site to view photos, download General Session and Breakout Session presentations, and more!

The Florida Attractions Scholarship Foundation (FASF) Board of Directors have selected five Florida-based students as recipients of the 2023 Scholarship. Daniela Botero, Ann Marie Casado, Sophie Duguid, Caleb Jessee and Frank Verney will each receive a check for $2,000 to aid them in their pursuit of their hospitality-related degrees. FASF will be highlighting the scholarship program and acknowledging this year’s recipients at the Florida Attractions 2023 Annual Conference on Monday, June 12 at the Luminary Hotel in Fort Myers.

Daniela Botero is currently working at Universal Orlando Resort as an Event Guide while pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Event Management from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. Daniela’s career goal is to create new themed experiences using technology to make them more inclusive by different languages or add larger ride restraints. She has a sincere love for theme parks and aims to inspire others in the way she was inspired to enhance the guest experience.

Ann Marie Casado is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Event Management from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. She currently works at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Orlando Resort’s Volcano Bay as an Attractions Attendant. Event planning has always been Ann Marie’s passion, and is confident that a degree from the number one hospitality school in the world will prepare her for the challenges she may face in the industry.

Sophie Duguid is earning her degree in Hospitality Management form the university of Central Florida on the Theme Park Track. She has worked several positions at Busch Gardens Tampa including Ride Operator, Trainer, Photographer and Supervisor. Her goal is to become a leader in the theme park industry and ignite the same passion that she has in others. Upon competition of her degree, she would like to continue a leadership role at Busch Gardens.

Caleb Jessee is a member of the team at Universal Orlando Resort where he serves as an Admissions Inventory and Project intern while working on his degree in Hospitality Management from the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. He is expected to graduate at the end of this year, and when Epic Universe opens up in 2025, he intends to be a part of that park’s opening team as a lead or supervisor in any department.

Frank Verney is an experienced attraction professional serving as Assistant Park Manager at Lion Country Safari. He has worked for Lion Country Safari for more than 10 years and is pursuing a professional development opportunity to grow into a leadership role at his attraction. Frank works to make sure the staff has service training as well as everything they need to enhance the guest experience.

Created in 2013, FASF has awarded scholarships to students pursuing degrees in hospitality-related fields to secure the future of the workforce. Since its inception, the FASF has granted nearly $80,000 in scholarships. Scholarship applicants must be an employee or dependent of an employee of a Florida Attractions Association (FAA) member business, be a Florida resident and a full-time student.

Join FAA Chairman of the Board John Dent, Director of Worldwide Safety Assurance Walt Disney World, and your FAA Staff for an overview of your Member Benefits. Whether you are a newer member or just need a refresher on the great benefits available to you as a member of the Florida Attractions Association, please join us!

We will demonstrate the online resources available to you on your FloridaAttractions.Org member website, as well as provide an overview of your member benefits.

Attraction Members | 2:00pm EDT

Associate Members | 3:00pm EDT

Information to join the webinar is provided in your confirmation when you submit your RSVP.

Registration and Hotel Reservations

Open April 18!

Since launching on January 1, 2023, nearly 20,000 potential Florida travelers from 142 countries have visited FloridaAttractions.com. The FAA continues to invest in marketing our member attractions on the site through an aggressive SEM campaign that is reaching consumers and showcasing the best family attractions Florida has to offer!

Based on the results of the campaign so far, beginning April 1, we will discontinue our geotargeted advertising and instead deliver very limited display ads for Featured Attractions to every visitor to the website. Only six Featured Attractions with links to the attraction’s website will be featured on the homepage of FloridaAttractions.com.

Featured Attraction display ads are now available for only $250/month (billed quarterly) and are available on a first come-first served basis for the 3 quarters remaining in 2023.

ACT NOW - Ads for Quarter 2 will be displayed starting April 1.

Revenue generated from these display ads helps offset the costs of search engine marketing of the site.

Click below for complete details including ad specs and suggestions to maximize ad performance.

If you have any questions about the new website and the ad sales process, please contact the Florida Attractions Association office – (850) 222-2885 or info@FloridaAttractions.org.

Hi Florida Attractions,

The Florida Attractions Association is proud to host the 2023 Florida Tourism Day, in partnership with Destinations Florida, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, and the Florida Association of Museums. 

Registration for Florida Tourism Day is now open! Join tourism industry professionals, colleagues, and friends in Tallahassee on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 for this fantastic event. Florida's tourism industry drives our state’s economy, and your presence here in Tallahassee demonstrates the power and influence of our industry. You will be hearing from legislative leaders and meeting with policymakers to educate them about the issues that impact your business.

Please follow the link HERE to register. 

Schedule of Events:

Liberty Partners of Tallahassee Office

8:00 am – 8:30 am: Continental Breakfast

8:30 am – 10:00 am: Florida Attractions Industry Briefing

 Florida State Augustus B. Turnbull Conference Center

10:30 am – 12:00 pm: Florida Tourism Day Rally and Briefing 

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm: Networking Lunch

Florida State Capitol

1:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Legislative Appointments at the Capitol

Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Headquarters

5:00 pm - 8:00pm: Florida Tourism Day Reception

Thank you,

Bill

Bill Lupfer

President/CEO

Florida Attractions Association

---For FAA Member Employees and Their Dependents---

Florida Attractions Scholarship Program

Scholarships awarded by the Florida Attractions Scholarship Foundation are exclusively for FAA member business employees and their immediate family members. Eligible recipients must be enrolled full-time at a post-secondary institution in Florida in Hospitality Management or other related field.

For full criteria and to apply for consideration, visit:

You can also print this 8.5 x 11 flyer to display for your employees at your business!

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of Florida Attractions Association members, this year, the Foundation and its Board of Directors will be awarding several $2,000 scholarships. Recipients will also be invited to attend a Florida Attractions Association Annual Conference.

---For FAA Member Businesses---

Professional Development and Employee Advancement Grant Program

This new program has been developed to provide FAA member businesses (Attractions & Associate Members) financial support to develop new and build capacity for existing professional development and leadership programs. Along with the FASF scholarship program, this grant program will promote the Foundation’s mission to develop the Florida attraction industry’s workforce and prepare for the future challenges. 

This year, Grants are limited to $2500 maximum. Grant awards will be announced at the 2023 FAA Annual Conference.

Qualifying programs can include – individual or group programs for professional development, specific skills training, job-specific certifications, leadership development, and industry conferences. Qualifying Programs MUST provide an educational component that is relevant to the attractions industry and improve employee proficiencies and, ultimately, the guest experience.

Deadline for submissions to both the Scholarship and Grant Programs is February 28, 2023, 11:59pm EST.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

The popular Attraction Regional Forums return in-person February 2023 in St. Augustine, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers! Forum attendees include attraction industry leaders from each region, industry suppliers and DMOs.

NEW for 2023 – FAA Associate Members are welcome to join the conversation and participate in the Attraction Regional Forums!

St. Augustine

Tuesday, February 7

Ponce de Leon's 

Fountain of Youth

Orlando

Wednesday, February 8

Brother Jimmy's BBQ 

at ICON Park

Fort Lauderdale

Thursday, February 9

Flamingo Gardens

Fort Myers

Friday, February 10

Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Secure your display ad now on the Florida Attractions Association’s all-new, digital Official Guide to Florida Attractions! Our new website launches January 1, 2023.

Ads start at only $153/quarter. 

If you have any questions about the new website and the ad sales process, please contact the Florida Attractions Association office – (850) 222-2885 or info@FloridaAttractions.org.