Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has named his communications director, Bryan Griffin, as the new president and CEO of Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing organization. The appointment was made official on July 25, when the Visit Florida board unanimously confirmed Griffin’s nomination that same afternoon.

Griffin, who has no prior experience in the tourism industry according to his LinkedIn profile, will take over from Dana Young, a former Republican legislator from Tampa who resigned in February. As head of the public-private agency, he will manage an $80 million state-funded budget to promote Florida as a travel destination.

The appointment continues a pattern by DeSantis of elevating loyal staff to key leadership roles. Griffin joined the administration in 2022 and briefly served as press secretary for DeSantis’ presidential campaign before returning to the governor’s office in 2024 as communications director.

While his salary and start date are still to be determined, records show Young earned $214,000 annually. Griffin currently earns $183,000 in his role as DeSantis' spokesman. The governor has already appointed Alex Lanfranconi, a former deputy communications director, to replace Griffin.

Griffin hails from Tampa and has a background in writing and political analysis. He is a graduate of Columbia University and the University of Florida’s law school. He authored The Encyclopedia of Militant Islam, profiling the world’s most active militant groups, and previously worked for Sheldon Adelson’s Maccabee Task Force advocating for U.S. support for Israel.

Despite lacking tourism industry experience, Griffin received praise from Carol Dover, CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and a Visit Florida board member, who described him as “a passionate advocate” for the state's tourism economy.

Florida welcomed 143 million visitors in 2024, generating an economic impact of $127.7 billion, according to the governor’s office.