Market voices: Destinations

Neil Callaghan Brand Manager Cigar City Brewing Company

Our Brewery is unique in that so much of what we do is really influenced by the culture, the cuisine and the history of Tampa Bay. We feel like our success has really been part and parcel of the story of Tampa Bay resonating with people outside of the Florida area. We are extremely fortunate because we do get a lot of tourism to this region for a number of reasons, whether to visit family or go to the beach. Tampa Bay has really molded what we are doing as a company, from the names of our beers to how we market ourselves. This speaks to the way that outsiders have responded to the culture of Tampa Bay as a whole. Tampa is still our biggest market by a long shot, and we are still growing at a double-digit rate in the Tampa Bay area, which is exceptional.

Our calling is to provide equitable opportunities for all children and remove the barriers that could potentially put them at a disadvantage in life. We look for ways to help families with low resources, including free admission and sponsored admission. The museum attracts lots of foster and military families and we want all families to feel represented and welcomed. We strive to provide accessible and inclusive programs, events, and exhibits to serve the diverse needs of our guests. Sarah Cole President & CEO Glazer Children’s Museum

Cheryl Flood Executive Director Florida State Fair

One of the greatest misconceptions that we feel people have in regards to the Florida State Fair is, due to our name, that we are a state funded entity. However, the Florida State Fair is a privately funded organization that depends solely on the community, those that participate in the annual fair festivities and people who attend the year round events held on the fairgrounds. As such, like other organizations, we strive to create an excellent experience and o™er a product that is second to none for our customers and guests.

My vision for the institution is not simply to be a venue. We want to be the premier science education reference center in the region. While a lot of our focus is on our venue, we are truly centered on what we are delivering to the community. This means we need to continue to have our science education outreach programs in the local schools and other organizations that are geared toward our youth. That is where we believe MOSI is really able to make a di™erence and further STEM and STEAM education for the next generation. Julian Mackenzie President & CEO Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI)

Profile Canada, England and Germany are the Top 3 international markets for Tampa Bay, according to Visit Tampa Bay. But most visitors – around 14 million in 2018 – come to Tampa for day trips, a 40.6% increase since 2009. Around 8.9 million people pay overnight visits and just over half a million international visitors came to Tampa in 2018. Of all visitor profiles, overnight visitors spent by far the most at $2.3 billion, compared with $1.1 billion spent by day trippers and $693 million by international guests.

Of domestic visitors, the majority, 51%, are marketable leisure trips and 39% visit Tampa to see friends or relatives. A smaller proportion – 10%, or 2.3 million visitors – come to Tampa for business. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) is an industry expected to generate almost $1.5 billion by 2025, and Tampa offers a range of venues to take advantage of this potential. In 2019, Tampa was ranked 31 out of 50 in Cvent’s list of top U.S. meeting destinations, with 123 meeting hotels and more than 19,500 sleeping rooms.

The Tampa Convention Center offers a 200,000-squarefoot exhibit hall, a 36,000-square-foot ballroom, 36 additional meeting rooms, freight space and a network of 3,000 rooms at hotels within walking distance. For those looking for a smaller venue, the city offers museums, the Tampa Bay History Center, the Aquarium and a variety of restaurants and attractions for hire.

The Convention Center is undergoing a $30 million Capital Improvement Plan. On completion, the project will have new features, such as waterfront meeting spaces, upgraded facilities and new local restaurants, including Harpoon Harry’s, Big Ray’s Fish Camp, and Tampa’s second Datz Restaurant. There will be 18 waterfront meeting rooms across a space of 16,000 square feet with a terrace and outdoor space.

But another type of tourist is more interested in the unique climate and backdrop offered by the state of Florida and Tampa Bay: the ecotourist. Florida contains a rich ecosystem but must remain acutely aware of mitigating its vulnerability to climate change. This was one reason why, in April 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis rolled out the Eco-Friendly Travel Hub on the Visit Florida website, which provides information on everything from which flights use the least fuel to which destinations are the most walkable.

Hotel performance Hotel occupancy rates have been skyrocketing in Tampa and, after nine consecutive months of recordbreaking bed tax and hotel revenue collections up to July 2019, Visit Tampa Bay’s Corrada expected the rest of the year to be a record setter when figures are released. There are more than 1,500 new hotel rooms under construction and 1,000 more undergoing renovations, although the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic could put a near-term damper on the sector.

World-class hotel developers have their eyes on Tampa, and this is clear from the calibre of the new projects on the horizon. Among Yahoo’s ranking of Best New Hotels Around the World to Book in 2020 was the 123-room Karol Hotel located in Feather Sound, St. Petersburg. Opening in February 2020, room rates start from $349 per night. The Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas Tampa is a 276-room development in the West Shore district with private balconies and a pier allowing access to the bay. ( )