Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Tourism Support to Northwest Florida Following Hurricane Isaias

What this means

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced October 14, 2026 that VISIT FLORIDA would provide $1 million from its disaster-recovery budget to the Northwest Florida Tourism Council following Hurricane Isaias. The money will restart the Northwest Florida Beaches promotional campaign, with a focus on fall and winter visitors arriving by road and the counties most affected. VISIT FLORIDA will work with local tourism officials on the launch. The release describes the council as representing eight Gulf Coast counties and cites results from an earlier campaign; those historical figures are not forecasts for this award.

Official release

Source material from Florida Governor’s Office. The wording below is the issuer’s statement.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a $1 million investment through VISIT FLORIDA to support tourism recovery efforts in Northwest Florida following Hurricane Isaias. The funding will be awarded to the Northwest Florida Tourism Council to resume the successful Northwest Florida Beaches marketing campaign, helping drive visitation and support local businesses throughout the Panhandle.

The investment comes from VISIT FLORIDA's dedicated crisis recovery budget, which is reserved to support Florida's tourism industry following hurricanes and other disasters.

“Today, I was proud to announce that VISIT FLORIDA is awarding $1 million to the Northwest Florida Tourism Council to resume their successful marketing campaign following Hurricane Isaias,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This investment comes from a dedicated disaster recovery budget that is set aside to help Florida’s tourism industry. The returns are proven to be great: For every dollar invested in this strategic tourism marketing effort in 2024-2025, Northwest Florida generated $58.95 in total economic impact.”

The recovery campaign builds on a successful partnership between VISIT FLORIDA and the Northwest Florida Tourism Council, representing eight Gulf Coast counties. Through a previous marketing initiative funded in part by Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., the partnership generated more than 2 million additional visitors between 2024 and 2025, contributing $327 million in additional visitor spending and supporting nearly 3,000 jobs. For every $1 invested, the program generated $35.74 in direct visitor spending and $58.95 in total economic impact.

“When a community is ready to welcome visitors again after a storm, good marketing is essential,” said Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “Our partnership with the Northwest Florida Tourism Council has built an effective Panhandle-focused campaign, and VISIT FLORIDA is stepping in to keep that work funded so Northwest Florida can recover quickly.”

"On behalf of the Northwest Florida Tourism Council and the eight counties we proudly represent, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Governor Ron DeSantis and VISIT FLORIDA for their support following Hurricane Isaias," said Matt Algarin, Tourism Director for Walton County and Northwest Florida Tourism Council Chair. "As our communities come together, we are confident in our ability to emerge stronger than ever, and look forward to welcoming visitors to experience the unforgettable adventures that make our region so unique.”

The $1 million investment will support the Northwest Florida Beaches brand campaign, highlighting the region's beaches, outdoor recreation, and unique visitor experiences, with an emphasis on fall and winter drive-market travel and will further support the most affected counties. VISIT FLORIDA will coordinate with local tourism leaders to launch the campaign.

To learn more visit northwestfloridabeaches.com and follow @northwest_florida_beaches on Instagram for the latest fall adventures and events. For more information on the Rural Infrastructure Fund, please click HERE.

Release text attributed to Florida Governor’s Office. Consult the official publication for any subsequent corrections or updates.