Tourism Tampa Bay

May 11 - 14 is National Tourism Week. This may not be as exciting for (insert the name of a town in an undesirable location known only for The World's Fattest Cat) but here in the Tampa Bay region, we take our tourism pretty seriously. We have a lot to celebrate and show off in our area and nobody puts us in the spotlight like Tampa Bay & Co.!

Today was their Tourism Luncheon - an event that everybody looks forward to every year. From the spectacle of performance to the exciting upcoming events and conventions coming to our area (We'll find out tomorrow if the GOP has sand in their shoes for the 2010 Convention!) everybody has a great time! In fact, even our President, Judy Lisi found herself in the show today. The picture is a little grainy - but she's the shorter one!

Congrats to all the hard working folks at Tampa Bay & Co. for another great luncheon. And we hope that everyone enjoyed the Mary Poppins presence - after all the show is less than a week away here at the Straz Center! Just part of the fun when you visit Tampa Bay!

-Kari G.

Lisi wins tourism award

TBPAC President and CEO Judy Lisi was named the Gonzmart Family Ambassador of the Year for her work in the hospitality industry.

Lisi was surprised with the award May 20 at the Tampa Bay and Company (formerly TBCVB) annual Tourism Week luncheon.

More than 25 percent of patrons who attended the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Jersey Boys were from outside a 50-mile radius, according to an independent survey.

"The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center is a destination site for many Tampa Bay area visitors," Lisi said. "I'm so pleased that we have been recognized and included in such stellar company as Tampa International Airport, Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium."

--MichaelK

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS FEED

Celebrating arts and attractions

Each year the Tampa Bay CVB plans the National Tourism Week luncheon as a showcase for all that we offer as a destination.

This year’s luncheon celebrated arts and attractions, two of this area’s key hospitality industries, and was staged at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Lowry Park, Busch Gardens, the Plant Museum, TBPAC and the Florida Aquarium each were featured, including a duet by two stars of “Disney’s The Lion King,” which is returning to TBPAC May 8-June 22, 2008. Check out the photos from the event here.

CVB President and CEO Paul Catoe praised the location, a slightly different venue but perfect for the “un-luncheon” envisioned by the event planning committee.

“But what better place to hold a luncheon than at one of the signature cultural hot spots in the Tampa Bay Area, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center,” Catoe said. “This spectacular venue is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is a perfect reason why Tampa Bay is becoming a hub for tourism through Florida and the United States.”

CVB chairman Greg Yadley echoed those sentiments.

“Tampa Bay is proud to be home to cultural and historic hot spots like the Tampa Bay performing Arts Center,” he said. “The value of the arts in Tampa Bay can be seen throughout the area. From dance and music to theater and the visual art, the arts give the community and its members a unique means of expression, capturing its passion and emotion. Your commitment to supporting the Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau and cultural tourism in the Tampa Bay area serves as proof of your commitment to helping your community become a thriving cultural tourism destination.” – MichaelK/TBPAC