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Florida to launch new tourism campaign to help economy recover

Gov. Ron DeSantis says coronavirus had 'disastrous' effect on leisure and hospitality industry
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Tourism leaders are hoping to give Florida's economy a shot in the arm.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Dana Young the first long-term, in-state marketing campaign since the COVID-19 started months ago.

"When the COVID pandemic hit the United States, it had a really disastrous effect on employment, particularly in the leisure and hospitality sector," DeSantis said during a news conference in Daytona Beach.

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The advertising campaign will focus on Florida's beaches, golfing, fishing, and more.

DeSantis is hoping the campaign will help rebuild the state's economy and get thousands of laid off Floridians back to work.

"These are folks who work hard," DeSantis said. "These are blue collar workers. You're talking about waiters, you're talking about hotel clerks, you're talking about folks who clean the facilities, groundskeepers, cooks, event planners, tour guides, you name it."

According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health, there are 633,442 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11,501 coronavirus-related deaths in the state.