A LETTER FROM
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I don’t think anyone can deny that 2020 and the beginning of 2021 were unprecedented times for the tourism industry. Looking back, we have calculated visitor spending losses of $265 million (from March, 2020 to February, 2021). And while we are now seeing business return, the scars of the “COVID Year” will remain for a long time to come. That being said, it is important to reflect on what happened and how we survived and eventually, thrived. In March, 2020 the State of Florida declared an emergency and the first cases of COVID-19 appeared within the state. Local officials closed beach parking and shut hotels down to all but essential workers. Then in May 2020, we began to open up again, slowly. Government offices opened and we launched a $1 million Summer Campaign, touting the fact that “There’s Space For
6
|
VisitSpaceCoast.com
You Here” – playing off of the beaches, wide open spaces, and of course – the space program. The summer kicked off with a return to human space flight for the first time in 10 years and then Memorial Day weekend. While the summer of 2020 was lackluster, it was at least the beginning of a return to some normalcy. One of the highlights for the Space Coast was the AAU Junior Olympics which relocated here and brought thousands of athletes (and room nights) to the destination in July during a much-needed time. Read about the impact of this event on page 42. The Fall of 2020 was a time to regroup and reevaluate the positioning of the Space Coast. Primary brand research was conducted and a new advertising agency was selected (&Barr
