We’re heading into a brand-new fiscal year, and it’s already shaping up to be an exciting one! From fresh campaigns to opportunities for collaboration, we’re looking forward to working with you to make this our strongest year yet.

One big date to mark on your calendar: our Indicators & Insights Summit is coming up soon! This annual event is your inside look at Sarasota County tourism performance, visitor trends, and what’s ahead for the destination. Our Keynote Speaker –Nicole Porter, VP of Political Affairs at the U.S. Travel Association – will give us a high-level view of national and international trend affecting travel, and how we can best approach locally. It’s a great chance to align efforts, gain valuable takeaways, and get inspired for the year to come.

As we continue sharing monthly updates through this e-newsletter, we’d love your feedback—what would make this newsletter more useful or relevant for you? Whether it’s specific content, types of resources, reminders, or even social post ideas, we want this to be a helpful tool in your marketing toolbox.

Thank you for all you do to make Sarasota County a place worth celebrating.

There are just a few days left to reserve your spot in the 2026 Official Sarasota County Visitors Guide.

Make sure your business is seen by thousands of Sarasota-bound travelers — before they arrive, while they’re here, and when they plan to return — all year long.

80,000 printed copies + digital version

Highly qualified, targeted distribution

Creative due: October 10

Invoicing begins: November 1 (flexible options available)

👉 Contact: Andy.Roberts@MilesPartnership.com
👉 Or request online (2-minute form): https://form.jotform.com/252590484348162

Fall Favorites 🍂

Whether you’re brewing up pumpkin-spiced delights, hosting haunted happenings, or planning cozy autumn events, we want to hear all about it!

Share images or videos for a chance to be featured on our social channels.

Sarasota Shines in the Spotlight – August PR Highlights

In August, LHG secured 12 pieces of coverage spotlighting Sarasota across regional, national, and international media. From luxury spa experiences to stunning Gulf Coast scenery, Sarasota was celebrated as a must-visit destination with both niche and mainstream appeal.

National PR by the Numbers

8 Stories directly from LHG pitching efforts

8M+ impressions*

12 Total Stories across top-tier publications

*Impressions are based on unique monthly visitors (UMVs) for each publication’s website and print circulation.

 

Top National Features

Southern Living – This Town On Florida's Scenic Suncoast Has Some Of The Bluest Water You'll Ever See  → Also syndicated to Yahoo Life and Aol

Conde Nast Traveler – 39 Travel Deals to Ring in the End of Summer

Bustle – 40 Vacation Spots We Love — And So Will You

Travel + Leisure – We Asked 7 Travel Experts Their Favorite U.S. Beach Getaway—and They All Picked the Same Destination

Tampa Bay Times – Need to Find Zen? Tampa Bay Spas Have Splurge-Worthy Offerings → Syndicated to Yahoo! Life and featured in Bay Magazine

AAA – Relax at the 10 Best Beaches in the World on Your Next Vacation

 

International PR Coverage

UK

 August coverage in the UK highlighted Sarasota’s luxury hospitality, arts and culture, and unique entertainment experiences. In total, 3 stories reached 211,400 impressions, strengthening awareness of Sarasota as a diverse and dynamic destination.

 

Germany

In Germany, Sarasota was featured in stories showcasing the destination’s hidden gems, cultural highlights, and new offerings for travelers. Altogether, 5 stories generated more than 407,000 impressions, underscoring continued interest in the region from European audiences.

Sarasota County continues to shine with luxury, lifestyle, and travel coverage that inspires audiences worldwide.

 

Local Media

August sizzled with strong coverage for Visit Sarasota County and our industry in local media. Coverage spanned our fall campaign launch in SRQ Magazine and the Longboat Observer to national airwaves via the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show. We earned industry recognition with an FPRA Golden Image Award, spotlighted strong partnerships with the BCC, EDC, and Arts Alliance, and kept transparency front and center as local press noted June’s seasonal dip in bed tax. The result? Awards won, campaigns launched, partnerships strengthened, and Sarasota’s story told far and wide — fueling both momentum and credibility as we head into fall.

August Local PR by the Numbers: 12 stories garnering 286,723 impressions.

Top Local Stories

Visit Sarasota County Launches Fall Tourism Push

Sarasota County Hits National Airwaves and Potential Visitors are Tuning In

Visit Sarasota County Named Top Government Team - Sarasota Scene Magazine

Sarasota County partners tout cooperation

 

Don’t forget to tell us your story at pitchus@visitsarasota.com

Our new luxury commercial - Watch on YouTube.

This year, thanks to new funding, we are utilizing a platform called Zartico to analyze visitor movement and spend. These insights along with data from our research firm, Downs and St. Germain, will give us a deeper understanding of our visitor and help us market to them more effectively. 

*Data from Zartico comes from a sample size of credit card spending and cell phone geolocation data. To be considered a visitor for credit card spend data, the billing zip code needs to be out of the area. For location data, it is where the cell phone has been overnight the most in the last 30 days (it's home location). 

This email goes to everyone on the Marketing and Communications team to keep us in the loop of all the great things you are doing!