Kim and I would like congratulate Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce CEO John Lai who has taken the one-year position of chair of the Visit Florida Board of Directors. Lai moves up from second vice chair. Lai has been the SanCap Chamber CEO since 2017.
The Visit Florida Board of Directors is the governing body for Visit Florida’s private sector. It provides guidance, input, and insight for the evolution of its marketing programs.
“We are thrilled to have John Lai serve as chair of Visit Florida’s board of directors for fiscal year 2024-2025,” said Dana Young, Visit Florida president and chief executive officer. “The Sanibel and Captiva area is invaluable to Florida’s tourism industry, and John’s knowledge and expertise have been an asset to Visit Florida throughout his tenure. We greatly appreciate his service to our organization and are looking forward to working with him in his new role.”
“I joined Visit Florida because local tourism marketing is near and dear to my heart,” says Lai. “Tourism is the economic driver for our state and also the employer of 1 in 5 people in Lee County. I appreciate the importance of Visit Florida. It brings visitors to Florida from in and out of the state who could potentially go to competing destinations such as the Caribbean.”
“I am honored at such an auspicious appointment at the state tourism level, and look forward to representing Sanibel and Captiva interests in promoting the local travel industry,” said Lai. “The chamber has always enjoyed a close, symbiotic relationship with Visit Florida, and this just takes that one step further at a most crucial time as we continue to recover from Hurricane Ian.”