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A Letter From President/CEO, Brian Lowack
What an amazing celebration this past month was, a whirlwind of exciting achievements worthy of commemorating! Not only did we announce a record-setting March, which crowned itself as the highest month in Tourist Development Tax collection in the history of Pinellas County, but we also celebrated you, the backbone of our destination, our industry partners. Award-winning beaches, arts and culture, attractions, restaurants and every element that our visitors and residents know and love were the highlight of the night at this year's Besties Awards. The energy in the room was electrifying, a true testament of our very special tourism community. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, and thank you to everyone who helped make the return of The Besties the best one yet!
With longer stretches of sunshine, we are ready to welcome bright summer days in our slice of paradise and even more visitors! June also marks a month-long celebration to highlight the welcoming atmosphere that exists year-round in St. Pete-Clearwater. Beyond our award-winning beaches and world-class art displays, we welcome visitors from around the world to celebrate their pride from Gulfport to Dunedin as well as St. Pete – which hosts one of the largest pride parades in the country.
Join Visit St. Pete-Clearwater in Celebrating Local Residents for 727 Day
In support of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater’s efforts to raise awareness of the value of tourism through the “From Visitors with Love” campaign, we ask you to join us in thanking our residents as we work together to launch 727 Day Deals. As part of this education and awareness campaign, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater will be promoting to and offering residents special deals and discounts and making them aware of special events for 727 Day – Saturday, July 27th – on the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater website. Design your unique offer to leverage 7-2-7 in some way, for example, a discount of $7.27, buy one get a second for $7.27, or admission for just $7.27.
There is no cost to participate. Please fill out this online form with your offer or event by Friday, June 14.
The following locations have been nominated in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Users can vote daily for each award through June 24.
Best Dog-Friendly Beach
Fort De Soto State Park
Best Dog Bar
The Dog Bar, St. Pete
Gulf to Bay Educational Series
Join Visit St. Pete-Clearwater on Wednesday, June 12, from 3 - 4:30 p.m. and learn from our expert brand ambassador team all about our exciting destination! The Gulf to Bay Educational Series is a great resource for front line employees and everyone interested in knowing more about our destination which includes our award-winning beaches, arts, attractions, baseball and everything in between.
Say hello to the new Gulf to Bay Destination Magazine
Click on the image below to order or download your FREE copy.
Caladesi Island State Park named in the Top 10 Beaches List of 2024
For more than three decades, Dr. Stephen Leatherman, more commonly known as Dr. Beach, reviews beaches all over the world and each year publishes a ranking of America's Best Beaches. The recently published "Top 10 Beaches List Of 2024" included Caladesi Island State Park.
A new non-stop route between Bismarck Airport (BIS) and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) was recently announced by Allegiant Airlines. The flight began its service on May 15, connecting North Dakota to the beaches, attractions, museums and restaurants available in the St. Pete-Clearwater area.
In celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week, attractions, chambers of commerce government and community leaders; the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and Visit St. Pete-Clearwater hosted PIE Rally Day on Monday, May 20. The event highlighted the critical role that travel plays in driving economic growth and building the path forward for the travel industry.
Visit St. Pete-Clearwater hosts group of top-tier publications from the US, UK & Ireland
Leaning into the destination's variety of outdoor and nature activities, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater hosted a group of seven journalists from the US, UK & Ireland from May 15-19.
Some of the activities that the journalists participated in included kayaking, spotting local wildlife, a nature bike tour at Fort De Soto, and a visit to Sunken Gardens. The journalists also sampled local cuisine and arts, and experienced the St. Pete Shuffleboard Club during its 100th year festivities.
Thank you to all the partners that collaborated in elevating the experience of all the journalists. Your continued partnership is a key element in promoting our destination.
Strengthening Global Partnerships: May Highlights and successes from attending US Travel's IPW
In May, the Global Travel - Latin America Department hosted representatives from the Brazilian luxury publication, TOP Destinos, travel advisors from SZ Viagens, and the President of ABAV-PB (Association of Brazilian Travel Advisors) all of which experienced the unique attractions and experiences in the St. Pete-Clearwater area.
In addition, the team trained 100 sales team members from the largest Latin American operator (CVC Corp) and organized a FAM trip for seven key Brazilian advisors, equipping travel professionals with essential knowledge about our destination.
The team also attended US Travel's IPW trade show, the largest tourism show in the U.S., completing 82 trade appointments with key decision makers and engaging with more than 30 members of the media and content creators both from the U.S. and international markets. Taking place in Los Angeles, Calif., these initiatives helped strengthen our relationships and expand our presence in key international markets. Our most sincere gratitude to the partners that participated this year at IPW: Bilmar Beach Resort, Holiday Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach S-Harbourside, and Sheraton Sand Key Resort.
Engaging the German Media
In collaboration with Visit Florida, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater participated in a media mission to Germany. Making stops in Munich and Berlin, the team was able to engage with more than 30 members of the Central European media, creating relationships with key German media to promote and develop awareness of St. Pete-Clearwater and help provide additional exposure and earn media coverage about our destination.
The Visit St. Pete-Clearwater Sports Commission won the Florida Sports Foundation award for Best Awarded Event of the Year for Large Markets for WWE Royal Rumble.
The American Athletic Conference (AAC) Baseball Championship took place in May 21-26, 2024 at the BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater. The winner, Tulane University, received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The event was streamed on ESPN+ and ESPNews.
FCSAA Division I Softball Championships was held May 8-11 at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. Indian River State College won its first FCSAA Softball Championship in almost two decades.
The St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission finished a jam-packed agenda of exciting new projects being released, such as an MLB Sponsored Video with Phillies Center Fielder, Nick Castellanos, which filmed on the sugary white sands of Clearwater Beach.
The Tampa Bay Ray's City Connect announcement, 'Grit x Glow' encapsulated the gritty and urban feel of the Campbell Rec Skate Park and Fairgrounds St. Pete.
The music video for the country band Soul Circus Cowboys' latest song "Sit on a Beach" was filmed by the relaxing waves of Treasure Island, FL.
If heart pounding mystery thrillers are more your speed, there is a new Lifetime movie just for you. My Nanny Stole My Life (2024) released on the Lifetime network May 16th, featuring the historic bayous and coastal front of Tarpon Springs.
Welcome to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater!
Meet the new members of the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater team. From left to right: Marketing Project Manager, Jessica Morrow, Contracts Manager, Patricia Overway; Meetings & Conventions Manager, Stephanie Alexander-Priakos; and Communications Manager, Eddie Delgado.
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