Visit Florida has engaged Ketchum for its tourism PR account, following an RFP process for the six-figure account.
The tourism entity worked with Ketchum in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico during 2010. M Silver & Associates was its previous agency of record.
VF projects an annual PR budget in the $100-150K range, handling tourism PR, crisis communications and digital PR, among other assignments. The state is planning the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida next year, as well as an overhaul of its media website.
An RFP was released in September.
Tourism is Florida's top industry with an estimated $60B impact on the Sunshine State.