Photo courtesy Visit Sarasota County.

As the official tourism marketing organization for the county, we take great pride at Visit Sarasota County in supporting our industry, all the while promoting our region as a must-experience destination. 

This week, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved our plan and budget for the coming year. We’re grateful for their support and trust as we continue to focus on keeping visitors coming, businesses open and residents employed, all year long. 

The work ahead of us is a significant undertaking, one that doesn’t happen without equally significant teamwork. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the people who will transform this plan into actionable solutions. 

As President and CEO, I oversee all departments – Marketing, Sales, Sports, Community Relations and Finance – as we all collaborate together to achieve our goals of driving tourism in Sarasota County.

Our marketing strategy, led by Kelly Defebo, CMP, Vice President of Marketing & Communications, ensures we’re connecting with a variety of visitors 365 days a year. We’re actively pursuing media opportunities domestically and abroad thanks to our Communications Project Coordinator, Olivia Turpening. Our Marketing Manager, Jess Bertolini, enlists freelancers and agencies to manage VisitSarasota.com and create content to amplify Sarasota’s story. Data from our area businesses helps guide our visitors on all there is to see and do, and Sam Warner, our Data CRM Coordinator, leads these internal efforts.

Sarasota is a gem of a destination, yet we don’t rest on our laurels – and so, our Sales team is diligently attracting groups for meetings, conferences and exhibitions. We recently appointed a new Director of Sales & Industry Relations , Suzanne Hackman, CDME, who works closely with Shantel Norman, Group Sales Manager, and Sandrina McCloud, Destination Services Manager, to provide exceptional hospitality and personal attention to visiting groups. Here we know, most are new visitors – and our goal is to convert them into repeat visitors.

Sports tourism is another compelling driver of visitation in our area, led by Director of Sports Pete Harvey and assisted by Sports Marketing Coordinator Nate Sweetman. This team supports 75 sporting events annually and promotes our portfolio of premier facilities. Thanks to their time and talent, and close collaboration with the amazing team at Sarasota County Parks and Recreation Department, our growth in this market continues to reach new heights. 

In June, we welcomed Hunter Carpenter, APR, in a newly created role, Director of Community Relations & Partnership. Hunter’s background as a Sarasota native and experienced PR professional will strengthen VSC’s relations with our more than 500 tourism partners, as well as oversee ways to educate residents about our local impact and why the sustainable growth of our industry is critical to all.

To make all this happen, we receive funding from the Tourism Development Tax, allocated by the Tourism Development Council. Thanks to our Director of Finance & Administration Andrea Hunt and Staff Accountant Tammy Jones, we follow rigorous guidelines to ensure funds are spent appropriately in the most efficient and effective manner to achieve our mission. 

Last but certainly not least, our Office Coordinator Camille Seabrook is the bridge-builder that keeps our office functioning and teams collaborating.  

I am incredibly thankful for my best-in-business staff at VSC. Their dedication to our community make all the difference, and I couldn’t do my job without them. Together, we are committed to making Sarasota County a must-experience destination for visitors across the globe and better place for all those who call it home – and we’re just getting started. 

Erin Duggan is president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County.

Photo courtesy Visit Sarasota County.