VISIT FLORIDA Statement on Public Relations Effort of the Brady Campaign to Use the Florida Tourism Industry to Gain Visibility for Their Views

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2005--VISIT FLORIDA:

-- Florida is a very safe and secure destination that excels in caring for its visitors. On any given day, Florida hosts a million visitors. In 2004, Florida welcomed 79.7 million visitors, a record for the state.

“Along with VISIT FLORIDA, we welcome visitors to the sunshine state with open arms and make their enjoyment and safety a top priority”

-- Florida has a low crime rate. In fact, it's at a 34-year low and has been falling for 13 consecutive years. (2004 Florida Annual Uniform Crime Report.)

-- We believe that our visitors are wise enough to understand that the Brady Campaign is one group's political agenda and not a real safety issue. It is a scare tactic campaign, not an education campaign as stated.

-- In 1987, the same group predicted that the gun permit law passed in Florida that year would increase gun violence. This increase in violence never occurred. A change in a law does not necessarily create a change in behavior.

Statement From Florida's Office of the Attorney General

"Along with VISIT FLORIDA, we welcome visitors to the sunshine state with open arms and make their enjoyment and safety a top priority," said Florida's Attorney General Charlie Crist. "Florida is a very safe and secure destination and our leaders continually strive to enhance the personal safety of the nearly 80 million global visitors who travel here annually."

He added, "The new Florida law that groups are using to raise visibility for their political agenda already exists in at least 26 states throughout the country allowing you to protect yourself if attacked. Some groups are assuming that the average Florida citizen will change their behavior in a negative manner in response to this law. In reality, law enforcement and the courts are not going to allow this to happen."

Statement from Gary Kleck, Ph.D., Criminology and Criminal Justice

"There is no evidence at all that this sort of law results in people using unjustified force in self-defense. The Brady Campaign has always been hostile to self-defense in general and would like the Florida legislature to reverse their position. The group is trying to hold the tourism industry hostage to further their purposes," said Dr. Gary Kleck, Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University.

Resource for Media Interviews:

The Office of Attorney General Charlie Crist
Contact: JoAnn Carrin, Director of Communications
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Gary Kleck, Ph.D., Professor and Director of Graduate Studies,
Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail] 
Dr. Kleck is author of Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America.

State Perspective and Resources:
Vanessa Welter, Director of Public Relations, or Pat Smith,
Corporate Communications Manager: 850-488-5607, ext. 337 and 301
respectively or email: [e-mail] or
[e-mail]

VISIT FLORIDA, the state's official source for travel planning, is the premier sales and marketing organization that promotes tourism to Florida through sales, advertising, promotions, public relations, new product development and visitor services programs both domestically and internationally. Working with the worlds' major travel writers, media and broadcasters to produce print and broadcast paid and earned media, VISIT FLORIDA programs reach more than two billion potential visitors each year. VISIT FLORIDA maintains a domestic office in Tallahassee, and has international offices in Germany, London, Paris, Montreal, Toronto and a dedicated office in Miami serving Latin America. VISIT FLORIDA has more than 3,500 tourism industry Partners and five major strategic alliances with American Express Travel Related Services, AirTran Airways, Dollar Rent A Car, Hertz and the Florida Lodging Association. To learn more about VISIT FLORIDA, visit the media section at media.VISITFLORIDA.org or view the consumer web site at http://www.VISITFLORIDA.com.