As we wrap up the year, I want to share how truly grateful I am for your partnership and the role you play in making our destination such a special place to visit. I’m looking forward to a new year where we can continue to collaborate, share ideas, and work together for a successful tourism season that benefits us all. I’m also incredibly thankful for the hard work and dedication of the team at Visit Sarasota County and excited about the unique marketing and sales campaigns they’ll be launching to support our industry in the year ahead.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season, and please know you can always reach out to me directly if you ever have any questions, ideas, or thoughts you’d like to share.

In service,

Erin Duggan, CDME - President & CEO

Here are the numbers comparing October 2025 to October 2024:

Mary Kenealy Events  – Event Services Partner, Serving Sarasota Area & Surrounding Areas – With a 25-year national legacy, Mary Kenealy Events is recognized as a premier event planning and destination management company in Sarasota, Florida.

Ingman Marine – Things to Do Partner, Serving Longboat Key – Looking For a Fun Day On The Water? At Ingman Marine, we rent boats for the day, week or month. We have the area’s nicest rentals. Reserve your boat today.

Friendly reminder that your referrals matter! Recommend a local business to our partner program and share this information with partnership@visitsarasota.org, and for every successful referral that completes the onboarding process (including payment), you’ll receive rewards – including a comped partnership after 3 referrals!

Say hello to new! We’ve launched a new Events webpage where all of our event links will always be, we highly recommend bookmarking it.

We know there’s a lot to keep up with as a partner — so each month, we’re giving your benefits a quick spotlight. This month’s highlight: Visitor Services. Our Visitor Centers and AVA – Area Visitor Assistant, mobile RV – are ready to get the word out about your business.

Questions? Reach out anytime at partnerships@visitsarasota.org — we’re here to help you make the most of your perks!

This spring, Visit Sarasota County is launching a fly-market contest for passengers from the Toledo, OH area, and we’re building a destination vacation to remember. We’re seeking partners to round out the prize package with tickets for four (attractions, tours, or events) and dining gift cards to showcase the best of Sarasota County’s food scene. (Gift cards and tickets will need to be valid April 1-June 30, 2026).                                       

Want in? Email kharb@visitsarasota.org using the subject line: COUNT US IN

Please include your offer details, any blackout dates, and retail value.

Confirm your participation via email by 1/5/26.

Art Ovation, Resort at Longboat Key Club & Zota Beach Resort, and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota are nominated for Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2026.

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) has been recognized by three leading national publications and associations for its efforts to attract meetings to enrich the local economy.

VSC was named a 2025 Readers’ Choice by ConventionSouth, a national multimedia resource for planning events in the South. With this accolade, VSC joins the ranks of 500+ other convention and visitor bureaus, meeting facilities, hotels, and unique venues located across the South. Since its creation in 2001, this is the ninth time VSC has received the Readers’ Choice Award.

In December, VSC was also selected as a Platinum Choice Award Winner by Smart Meetings, a leading source for information and inspiration about destinations and venues. After VSC was nominated, Smart Meetings readers voted on their favorite destinations and venues, based on actual lived experiences in ballrooms and off sites.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) also awarded VSC two bronze awards – one for its Support the 941 hurricane recovery campaign, another for its Indicators & Insights Summit – during the 69th annual Adrian Awards, the largest competition dedicated to travel marketing.

The holiday season may be near, but the sports calendar across the region is just heating up! December is packed with two major annual soccer events returning to the region and a brand-new collegiate open water swimming championship making its debut, collectively drawing thousands of athletes, coaches, and fans as we close out 2025.

The month kicked off with the Elite Academy League National Winter Showcase, held December 4-8 at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch. This flagship youth soccer event welcomed U13-U19 teams from across the country and brought in approximately 5,500 athletes and 7,500 spectators. With its improved match-and-rest-day format and participation from top-tier clubs nationwide, the Winter Showcase delivered an elite platform for player development, competitive cohesion, and national-level exposure.

The following weekend, the Florida Winter Cup & Showcase returned to Premier Sports Campus for its 11th annual edition, running December 12-14. Hosting more than 170 teams and welcoming over 3,400 participants and 7,800 spectators, the event featured U11-U15 championship brackets and U16-U19 showcase brackets, along with the invitation-only U14-U19 Super Groups — a division reserved for top domestic and international teams. All Super Group matches were filmed and distributed to teams, enhancing recruiting opportunities and the overall player experience. The Winter Cup continues to draw high-level competition from the East Coast, Midwest, South, and abroad, making it one of the region’s most anticipated youth soccer events of the year.

Rounding out the month, the CSCAA College National Open Water Championship, hosted by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), was held Saturday, December 13, at Nathan Benderson Park. Nearly 240 collegiate swimmers from NCAA Divisions I, II, III, and NAIA institutions took on the challenging 5K course in a true test of endurance and focus. The event not only showcased Sarasota’s world-class aquatic venue but also highlighted the area’s growing reputation as a premier destination for both collegiate and open water swimmers.

From the soccer fields to the water’s edge, December is shaping up to be a strong close to another outstanding year of sports tourism across the region.

What makes your business unique? 

As Sarasota’s first visual arts organization, Art Center Sarasota is celebrating 100 years of creativity, connection, and community with a Centennial Season packed with powerful exhibitions, vibrant events, and expanded programs for all ages. The Art Center’s Centennial Season events feature the inaugural Authors & Illustrators Book Fair (Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.), inspiring exhibitions, engaging classes, youth and family programs, and recurring, innovative art events like Art Actually, Second Fridays: Creative Happy Hour, and Saturday Night Sketch Club. The legendary Beaux Arts Ball—first launched in the 1940s—will be the crown jewel of the Centennial Season, dazzling Sarasota once again on March 21, 2026. The revival, located at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, will blend spectacle, costume, creativity, performance, and celebration–bringing a historic tradition roaring into the present.

What would visitors find interesting/intriguing about your business?

Art Center Sarasota is Sarasota's first visual arts organization, honoring a century of impact, creativity, and connectivity. Our Centennial Season is an invitation for the entire community to celebrate Sarasota’s remarkable arts legacy at Art Center Sarasota. We are admission free and serve as Sarasota's community art center. We have seven cycles of exhibitions this season which include fresh, bold artwork for patrons to enjoy. Our dynamic array of classes and workshops include oil painting, acrylics, photography editing, and more. Every Saturday, we offer Family Saturdays, free and open to the public from 12p.m.-3p.m. where families can drop in and create art experiences together. Our Centennial Season programming offers a rich variety of opportunities for visitors to engage with the arts, find inspiration, and celebrate artistic expression.

Do you offer specials and/or any special events?

As an Art Sarasota Member, you’ll receive reduced entry fees for Open Call Juried Shows, exclusive discounts, and special member opportunities throughout the year. Click here to view membership options and join: https://www.artsarasota.org/become-a-member. We have a plethora of exciting events with our Centennial Season. More information and registration can be found here.

How long have you been in operation?

100 years!

What are you currently working on/developing that you want to share and/or partner with other local businesses on?

Our Centennial Season, Family Saturdays partnerships, and more.

If you could describe what you do in one sentence, what would it be?

To bring together creatives and the broader public to increase understanding of our human condition, support well-being, and build community connection through the universal language of art.

What do you value most about your VSC partnership?

The kind employees, connections we make, learning about other incredible community partners, opportunities, and possibilities.

Interacted with 3,902 visitors and residents at the Visitors Centers.

Mailed and distributed 396 Visitor Guides and mailed 27 Relocation Packets.

Created 338 info bags for various groups.