Visit Orlando joins ranks of those leaving Visit Florida

Visit Orlando is one of a dozen tourism agencies cutting ties with statewide promotion agency Visit Florida.

“Given the limited advance notice, we had to make a decision regarding our membership for their upcoming fiscal year and recognized that it would be best to pause at this time, as we contemplate the future marketing plans for our organization and the recently announced new provisions from Visit Florida in a thoughtful review with our legal counsel and board leadership,” Visit Orlando said in a statement Friday.

The agency would not comment further.

Those leaving also included Visit Tampa Bay, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and Orlando North Seminole County Tourism, a Visit Florida spokesman said Friday, although he also added 43 other local tourism agencies renewed their partnerships.

Experience Kissimmee announced last month it was also distancing itself from Visit Florida, which has faced well-publicized controversies over its spending and its fight to keep its state money. Kissimmee CEO DT Minich had said he was concerned new rules for Visit Florida following the past controversies would force him to disclose salary information for his board of directors for their full-time private company jobs.

Ken Lawson, who became Visit Florida’s president and CEO in January, wrote recently on the corporate blog “Sunshine Matters” that he has started to “humbly” reach out to different groups across the state.

“I want to earn your trust and learn from you first hand,” his post said. “This has been a hard year for all of us.”

The statewide agency faced criticism over its spending — like $1.25 million to sponsor a London soccer club and $1 million to rapper Pitbull.

Ultimately, state legislators decided to allocate $76 million for Visit Florida’s fiscal 2018 budget but added new rules that were intended to make the agency more transparent.