Dear Industry Partners,

Pinellas County’s Beach Nourishment Project is successfully moving past its halfway point. This massive $125 Million investment, paid for by the Tourist Development Tax, is a vital step forward for the health and resilience of America’s Favorite Beaches, and is a powerful testament to the importance and impact of attracting visitors to our destination. 

Adding to the beach excitement, I had the opportunity to join the Beachcomber and Jimmy B’s team as they re-opened their doors following extensive renovations and updates. The re-opening of this favorite of locals and visitors alike provides yet another experience for us to incorporate into our storytelling as we inspire those who are planning their winter and spring getaways.

This month we are also sending out an important reminder to our key markets – it’s time to turn on the out of office message and use your PTO before you lose it! This week, we launched a special fall campaign, encouraging visitors to make use of their hard-earned vacation time and get paid by doing so at VisitSPC.com/PTO. As the calendar year closes out, we know folks out there have a bank of PTO hours just waiting to be spent and we can’t think of a better place for them to cash in than St. Pete-Clearwater.

In case you missed it, there was a big announcement about the return of the College Football Playoff National Championship to the Tampa Bay Area in 2029 which will bring prestige and an economic boost to our entire region. On the baseball diamond, the Toronto Blue Jays deserve a big congratulations on their stellar run to the World Series. What began at their Spring Training home here in Dunedin turned into an American League Championship and brought national attention to our area. While our Jays came up short in Game 7, we can’t wait to welcome them and their fans from throughout Canada back to Dunedin this Spring!

Please know your partnership as well as your commitment to excellence towards our visitors enjoying St. Pete-Clearwater is always appreciated – and especially true with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

As the rest of the country cools down, Visit St. Pete-Clearwater is launching a campaign to encourage visitation during the final months of the calendar year.

Nearly half of Americans (47%) had unused vacation days last year. To motivate travelers not to become an "unhappy statistic," by booking directly at VisitSPC.com, travelers can take advantage of a digital Visa gift card of up to $250, which means $50 for every night a traveler stays in St. Pete-Clearwater, for up to 5 nights.

All the details about VisitSPC's PTO Campaign, are available at VisitSPC.com/PTO.

After nearly a year of anticipation, The Beachcomber in St. Pete Beach has officially reopened its doors! This St. Pete Beach gem is once more inviting guests to experience its signature Old Florida charm. Additionally, Jimmy B's Beach Bar is also back in action, serving up tropical drinks, live music, and those unbeatable Gulf Coast sunset views.

(Left: David Giaco accepting award. Right: Seth McDaniels accepting award)

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) recently held its 2025 General Managers of the Year Awards during The Hospitality Show in Denver, Colorado. These awards specifically recognized general managers who have demonstrated exceptional performance for both their guests and employees.

David Giaco, General Manager at the Dolphin Sands Clearwater Beach, as well as Seth McDaniels, General Manager at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, were selected as General Managers of the Year.

Congratulations, David and Seth, on a well-deserved recognition!

Encourage your team to join this exciting session to learn from destination experts about what makes Pinellas County such a unique place for our guests to visit! This Partner Training is ideal for front-line associates and anyone new to the area working in hotels, resorts, short-term rentals, restaurants/bars, museums, attractions, ground transportation, water sports activities, chambers visitor centers, travel, tourism and hospitality organizations.

This class will be led by Oliver Kugler - PDM, a resident of Pinellas County for more than 54 years and with 38+ years as a resort hotel Marketing Director. He will share insider knowledge alongside other key staff members.

Visit St. Pete-Clearwater is conducting a resident-focused survey to better understand how residents perceive tourism in their community.  

As a valued member of our community, we’re asking you to share this opportunity with your networks. Help shape the future of tourism in our region - input will directly inform how Visit St. Pete-Clearwater plans for community-minded tourism growth.

Let’s make sure the voices of our residents are heard loud and clear.

Thank you for supporting a thriving, balanced Pinellas County!

An important European connection continues to invest in the Tampa Bay market. Just recently, Edelweiss Air began flying international passengers into Tampa International Airport (TPA) aboard a bigger aircraft: a state-of-the-art Airbus A350. In July 2025, the airline increased its frequency from four to five flights a week for their Zurich to TPA route – the only US destination the airline flies to year round. 

Allegiant announced new airlift service into St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), beginning Feb. 2026 from Atlantic City, NJ, and from Huntsville, AL in March 2026. 

Starting Dec. 19, United Airlines is increasing its nonstop service from San Francisco (SFO) to Tampa International Airport (TPA), by adding three flights a day. This increased frequency will run through March 28, making it a great option for West Coast visitors looking for a getaway  to America's Favorite Beaches.

Through our agency on record in Mexico, PTG Consulting, VisitSPC participated in podcast-style conversation with travel agency TurisMayer. During the conversation, VisitSPC Representative Maria Cardenas, highlighted offerings for visitors in St. Pete-Clearwater such as attractions and dining, as well as sharing details about the destination's versatility to potential Mexican travelers.

The 2025 Ascend Conference is ALGV's flagship event, serving as a premier gathering for travel advisors to elevate their expertise and build lasting connections. The event featured a transformational experience, including in-depth workshops focused on professional development and a vibrant 2-day supplier showcase. Ascend aims to equip advisors with actionable strategies to advance their businesses and connect them with peers and industry leaders.

During the conference, VisitSPC partnered with the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach to distribute more than 250 postcards, an invitation for travel advisors to register for the Leisure Travel 1st Quarter Sweepstakes and Online Training.

Thanks to our partners Wyndham Grand, Hyatt Regency, Sheraton Sand Key, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, The Dalí Museum, and The Tropics Boat Tours for their contribution this VIP experience. Additional webinars and FAMs were also discussed with travel advisor networks and ALG Business Development Managers.

Proactively sharing our destination's stories in efforts to secure coverage, the Communications team executed a targeted outreach strategy: they met with key media outlets in the important domestic markets of New York City and Nashville with Visit Florida (also taking an opportunity to share more about the Tarpon Springs Distillery!), while simultaneously hosting top influencers from Colombia and Brazil to generate fresh content. The Colombian influencer visit was a strategic partnership with avianca Airlines to support the new route from Bogotá, while the Brazilian content creators' activation was done collaboratively through our ongoing relationship with VISIT FLORIDA.

Holiday Lights in the Gardens at Florida Botanical Gardens

Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights

As part of VISIT FLORIDA's Live More Floridays Campaign, St. Pete-Clearwater was featured on Wheel of Fortune, taking over the entire Oct. 16 show: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7384909799919886336

The Toronto Sun as well as the Ottawa Sun covered the Blue Jays run at the World Series, including mentions of our beloved Dunedin as their 49-year home away from home during Spring Training. 

Imogen Clark, who visited in May, published an article in Glass Magazine, a UK-based luxury-focused publication.

Beachside Sophistication on America's Gulf Coast 

Brian Lowack was the featured guest on a couple of popular local podcasts, highlighting the value of tourism and the future of tourism in Pinellas County:

There are SO MANY great events on deck this month. Be sure to check them out.

But before you do, remember to submit your event.

The Partner Portal is the gateway to updating your business listing and staff member directory, upload videos, photos, and special offers, share your social media channels, & so much more. Partners with questions about navigating the Partner Portal or that do not have a username or password to log in to the partner portal, can email Contact@VisitSPC.com.