West Palm Beach, Fla. – Yesterday, at VISIT FLORIDA’s annual Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, the winners of the 2026 Flagler Awards and the 2026 Florida Tourism Hall of Fame inductee were announced. The award ceremony took place during the annual Chairman’s Dinner. Find photos of the award winners here.
Florida Tourism Hall of Fame
Since 2001, individuals have been chosen annually to be inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame. This honor, presented by the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, recognizes contemporary and historic figures whose vision, creativity and drive have significantly impacted Florida tourism.
The 2026 Florida Tourism Hall of Fame inductee is DT Minich. A visionary leader with a career defined by transformation and growth, DT Minich holds the unique distinction of being the only executive to lead three different Florida Destination Marketing Organizations. Known for stepping into pivotal moments of transition, Minich arrived as President and CEO of Experience Kissimmee in 2014 following its transition into a modern public-private model. Over the past decade, he grew the organization, established in-country representation across 18 international markets, and oversaw a data-driven strategy that grew Kissimmee’s unaided brand awareness from 2% to 30%. Under his leadership, annual visitation jumped roughly 70% to 10.4 million visitors.
Central to Minich’s legacy is his ability to turn destination assets into global powerhouses. In 2018, he personally directed the strategy that positioned Kissimmee as the “Vacation Home Capital of the World®,” elevating vacation rentals into a signature Florida product as inventory expanded from 10,000 to over 30,000 homes. He also established the Kissimmee Sports Commission—now driving over $400 million in economic impact—and nearly doubled meeting lead volume, earning Kissimmee a top spot among Cvent’s ‘Top 50 Meeting Destinations in North America’.
Beyond driving record-setting visitation, Minich has been a pioneer in integrating tourism stewardship, accessibility, and community impact into destination marketing. He expanded the Tourism Enhancement Grants Program to directly benefit local communities, spearheaded accessibility initiatives with partners like Wheel the World and Autism Travel Club, and launched conservation efforts like Trees4Travel, which has planted over 115,000 trees. Minich’s holistic approach to tourism has bettered the entire industry in the State of Florida.
“Congratulations to this year’s Flagler Award winners, and to DT Minich, whose decades of service to Florida tourism are being recognized with induction into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame. VISIT FLORIDA is glad to help recognize the leaders and marketing initiatives that keep our industry innovative and growing.” – Bryan Griffin, President and CEO, VISIT FLORIDA
“Florida tourism is successful because of leaders who are willing to think boldly, embrace change and continue raising the bar for our industry. DT has done that throughout his career, building stronger destinations while helping advance tourism across Florida. It is an honor to recognize his lasting impact and welcome him into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame.” – Chip Wile, Executive Director of NASCAR Driver Advisory Council, VISIT FLORIDA Chair, Board of Directors
For more information about the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame, click here.
Flagler Awards
Now in its 26th year, the Flagler Awards recognize outstanding tourism marketing initiatives in Florida. The awards are open to all individuals, private businesses and not-for-profit organizations offering a product or service that promotes tourism to or within the state of Florida. The 2026 Flagler Awards drew nearly 300 entries from large and small organizations.
An independent panel of fourteen judges evaluated the creativity, innovation, production quality and effectiveness of each entry. Based on the judges’ cumulative scores, awards were presented to the top three entries in each category: the Bronze Award for the third highest scoring entry, the Silver Award for the second highest scoring entry, and the Henry Award for the highest scoring entry in each category, named in honor of Henry Flagler. The 2026 Flagler Awards recognized winners in 18 categories, plus Best in Show at four budget levels.
Specialty Marketing Bronze: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for “Amelia Island Dining Month” Silver: Visit Jacksonville for “Soul of Surf 2.0: Sea Gals & Board Stories” Henry: Visit Tampa Bay for “Doggone Summer: Tampa Bay Unleashed”
Websites Bronze: The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau for the Nights of Lights App 2025 Bronze: Visit Sebring for VisitSebring.com Silver: Visit Florida Keys & Key West for “Next-Generation Website for the Future of Destination Marketing” Silver: Visit Pensacola for the Beach+ Microsite Henry: The New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau for the New Smyrna Beach Area Website Redesign
Direct Marketing Bronze: The Franklin County Tourist Development Council for their Forgotten Coast Newsletter Silver: Destination Panama City for “Adventure Letters” Henry: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods for The Fort Myers Neighborhood Email Series
Digital Advertising Bronze: Visit Tampa Bay for “Corporate Transient: From Clicks to Corporate Stays” Silver: Florida’s Sports Coast for “Life’s A Game” Digital Advertising Henry: Walton County Tourism for “The Precision Pivot: A High-Yield Direct Booking Strategy to Combat Supply Oversaturation”
Public Relations & Earned Media Bronze: The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for The Frontyard Holiday Festival at Dr. Phillips Center, supported by AdventHealth Silver: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for New Day Cleveland + Midwest Influencers Silver: Discover The Palm Beaches for “Palm Royale-ty” Set-Jetting in The Palm Beaches Henry: Experience Kissimmee for the Global Influencer FAM & Summit
Radio & Podcast Advertising Bronze: The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County for The ArtiGras Podcast 2025: A Branded Cultural Tourism Storytelling Platform Silver: The Martin County Office of Tourism & Marketing Radio Campaign Henry: Discover Mexico Beach for “No Scripts, Just Sun: Experiencing Mexico Beach through a Local’s Lens”
Sustainable Tourism Marketing Bronze: Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium for “Run For The Turtles” Silver: Visit Tampa Bay for “Meeting the Moment: Meetings That Leave a Legacy” Henry: Visit Florida Keys & Key West for their Integrated Ecotourism Program
Travel Trade, Meetings & B2B Marketing Bronze: Florida’s First Coast of Golf for THE PLAYERS Travel Trade Promotion Silver: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for their Amelia Island Meetings Videos Silver: Walton County Tourism for The “Forever” Guide Redesign: Engineering a Best-in-Class B2B Sales Tool for South Walton Weddings Henry: The Ocala/Marion County Visitor and Convention Bureau for “Meet in the Middle: Ocala/Marion County’s Planner Engagement Campaign”
Rural County Marketing Bronze: The Franklin County Tourist Development Council for “Coastal Clues: Forgotten Coast Trivia” Silver: Visit Gulf County for “A Vacation Worth Wagging About” Henry: Visit Sebring for “Come Full Circle”
Broadcast & Streaming Advertising Bronze: Visit Sarasota County for their Origin Campaign Silver: Discover The Palm Beaches, The Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission, Sinclair’s AMP Travel for “Let’s Eat: A Culinary Tour Through The Palm Beaches” Henry: Visit Lauderdale for “Visit Lauderdale: Never Lose Your Splash TV Advertising”
Tourism Advocacy Bronze: Visit Tampa Bay for “Hospitality Heroes: Championing Tampa Bay’s Tourism Workforce” Silver: Discover The Palm Beaches for “Destination Stewardship in The Palm Beaches” Henry: Visit St. Pete-Clearwater for “727 Day”
Mobile Marketing Bronze: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for “Inmar Rich Media Unit” Silver: Visit Florida Keys & Key West for “Key West Duo Scroller” Henry: Florida’s First Coast of Golf for the Mobile “Moments” Campaign
Out-of-Home Advertising Bronze: The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County for “Go Beyond Basel 2025: A Cultural Tourism Transit & Billboard Campaign” Silver: Visit Panama City Beach for “FUN in the SUN, Safety for Everyone with Carvertise” Henry: Discover Lake County for the Miami Target Market Campaign
Special Event Bronze: The Arching Oaks Arts and Culture Center for Japan Festival Eustis Silver: Visit Gainesville, Alachua County for “A World Championship in Florida with 98 Countries in Competition” Henry: Visit Tampa Bay for “Dylan Perry x Europe: Two Cities, One Creative Spirit”
Print Advertising Bronze: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods for the Fort Myers Just Feels Right Ads Bronze: The Franklin County Tourist Development Council for their “Embrace The Pace” Spring Campaign Silver: The Martin County Office of Tourism & Marketing Henry: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for the “Find Your Unwind” Leisure
Consumer-Facing Promotional Materials Bronze: The Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office for Discover Navarre Beach, Vol. 1 Silver: The Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for the Bradenton Area Wanderlust Bookazine Silver: Visit Orlando for Orlando’s Kitchens: Official Destination Cookbook Henry: Visit Gulf County for Gulf County Wildlife BINGO
Social Media Marketing Bronze: Visit Tampa Bay for “First to the Summit: Tampa Bay x Expedia” Silver: Visit St. Pete-Clearwater for the 727 Society – Local Influencer Program Henry: Visit Florida Keys & Key West for “Destination Instant Experiences”
Integrated Marketing Campaign Bronze: The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau for the “Find Your Unwind” Campaign Silver: Destin-Fort Walton Beach, FL for “Shifting Perceptions Through Shared Adventure in Destin-Fort Walton Beach” Henry: The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and City of Miami Beach for “Miami Beach: Spring Break Reality Check”
Best of Show Division I: Discover Mexico Beach for “No Scripts, Just Sun: Experiencing Mexico Beach through a Local’s Lens” Division II: Visit Gulf County for “Gulf County Wildlife BINGO” Division III: Martin County Office of Tourism & Marketing Radio Campaign Division IV: Visit Tampa Bay for “Doggone Summer: Tampa Bay Unleashed”
Media Release: Visit Florida, Photo courtesy of Visit Gainesville.
