Skift Take
This smells more of politics than smart planning. And we would argue it isn't a good idea to get rid of one of the more talented DMO executive teams in the U.S. just when your state is strategizing how to make up for declining visitation from Canadians, UK nationals, and others.
The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Visit Florida CEO Will Seccombe will resign his position following a demand by the state's governor Rick Scott to resign.
Scott's communication's director said in an email Friday night that the office had not received confirmation that Seccombe would resign.
Scott and other state lawmakers were upset with Visit Florida's spending on a marketing campaign using South Florida resident and rapper Pitbull. Today Scott sent a letter to Visit Florida Chair William Talbert [below] requesting Seccombe's departure as well as other changes at the organization.
Apart from Seccombe, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer Vangie Fields and Chief Marketing Officer Paul Phipps are no longer with the destination marketing organization (DMO).
Tim Declaire, Director of Global PR, told Skift: "I can confirm that two positions — CFO and CMO — were eliminated. Also, Will Seccombe did receive a letter from the Governor today outlining leadership change recommendations. In the coming weeks, he will be working with the Vi
