visit tampa bay annual meeting

Calendar of Events Leadership Tampa Bay

Views navigation, event views navigation, october 2024, leadership tampa bay – executive committee meeting (executive committee only), the tampa club 15th annual presidents’ cup golf tournament.

Please join us for the Tampa Club's 15th Annual Presidents' Cup Golf Tournament benefitting the LTB Foundation on Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Westchase Golf Club. To register or sponsor please contact Erin Stancick. mpaclub.com

November 2024

Leadership tampa bay – board of directors meeting (board members only), leadership tampa bay friendsgiving.

Join us for an evening where business meets benevolence at the Leadership Tampa Bay Class of 2024 event. The “Friendsgiving” themed gathering aboard the Starship Cruise on November 15, 2024, is an excellent occasion for business leaders to show their philanthropic side of the business world. Enjoy an evening of […]

December 2024

Holiday party, january 2025, february 2025, annual meeting & class of 2025 graduation.

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OUR PROGRAM

The Leadership Tampa Bay class year begins in September and runs through May. Each year, the Board of Directors organizes 11 class days that focus on regional issues and opportunities. The agenda for each day consists of panel discussions with business civic and government leaders, questions and answer sessions, and facility tours. In addition, each class member participates in both an opening and closing retreat and a two-day Tallahassee Trip.

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JOIN THE PREMIER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

LEADERSHIP TAMPA BAY

Mailing address:.

Post Office Box 1315 Tampa, FL 33601

Executive Director (813) 486-8917

Alice Bessette [email protected]

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On the Scene: Visit Tampa Bay’s 2023 Annual Meeting (PHOTOS)

In 2023, Tampa Bay achieved its best fiscal year ever with more than $1.1 billion in taxable revenue and welcomed 26.7 million visitors to the destination, infusing $8.5 billion into the local economy. 

The increase in visitor spending also played a role in contributing more than $514 million in local and state tax revenue and created 57,571 jobs in the hospitality industry with an overall impact of $3 billion in wages.  

During the Annual Meeting, leadership was passed to Ray Mathews, of State Farm, who was elected by stakeholders as the new board chair, succeeding Raul Aguilera. Yvette Torres was appointed chair-elect. 

The Indo-US Chamber honored four business and community leaders at the 2024 Banyan Ball, at the Grand Hyatt, in Tampa.  The individuals that were honored included Rohini Rustogi, founder, president

The Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation celebrated its 45th anniversary at a gala held at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  The event had a performance by Robin Zander, the founder of

More than 500 attendees gathered to support the Habitat mission at the sold-out Glow Gala, presented by Crown Automotive Charities and the Hawkins Family Foundation.  The event, at the Vinoy

Ryann Halo, of Salon Halo, and Gretchen Bauer, of BSWANKY, co-hosted an event at Salon Halo, in South Tampa, to benefit PACE for Girls. Food was provided by Chef Rosana

► Joe Lopano, chief executive officer of Tampa International Airport, will be inducted into the 2024 Florida Transportation Hall of Fame, in October. (Pictured above) ► The City of Tampa has

Visit Tampa Bay, in partnership with Tampa’s Blind Tiger Coffee Roasters, is releasing a signature coffee blend, Pirate’s Plunder. Described in a statement as “…a rich taste that could tempt

► St. Joseph’s Hospital became the first health care facility to use checkout-free technology in a hospital cafeteria at its newly opened Season’s Café, inside the hospital. (Pictured above) ► The

MONOPOLY: Tampa Edition Does mom love Tampa Bay and games? The MONOPOLY: Tampa Edition, released by Visit Tampa Bay, allows players to buy, and trade, landmarks like the Tampa Riverwalk, Busch

Events & Meetings Calendar

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Events Search and Views Navigation

Event views navigation, october 2024, abcm’s natural resources/environmental impact review committee meeting.

This will be a virtual meeting -  Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83842490919?pwd=tGFK9Gv06nlDbtTlDdZEIYAH6V0Hi4.1 Meeting ID: 838 4249 0919 Passcode: 507672   All meeting materials can be found on the ABCM webpage: https://tbrpc.org/about/services/environmental-planning/abcm/

Executive Budget Committee Meeting

This is a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual options for attendance.   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84751973660?pwd=OVlKVkNlS0pjVnF1MVJ4dXFKcFVRZz09 Meeting ID: 847 5197 3660 Passcode: 375778 One tap mobile +17866351003,,84751973660# US […]

Council Meeting

Meeting Materials: tbrpc.org/meeting-materials-library   This is a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual options for attendance.   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83378505645?pwd=bDYweUxudVh3cDhNZE9aTHZMYTBMZz09 Meeting ID: 833 7850 5645 Passcode: 286877 One […]

Regional Resiliency Coalition Steering Committee Meeting

Meeting Materials: tbrpc.org/meeting-materials-library   This is a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual options for attendance.   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86104948396?pwd=Y1RZYk9rNTZRM05RaHlUZTBqZTlsUT09   Meeting ID: 858 7193 7581 Passcode: 100200 […]

Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway Corridor Advisory Committee Meeting

CCSHCAC meeting materials: tbrpc.org/scenic/   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2161440084?pwd=cmVJKzZaMU9tMmdDbW81QmtuRy96QT09 Meeting ID: 216 144 0084 Passcode: 007433 Call-in Number: +17866351003

Stormwater Management Public Education & Training Committee Meeting

Link to meeting materials: https://tbrpc.org/about/services/environmental-planning/stormwater-management-committee/   Online meeting via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84854651246?pwd=V0VaN2EwNk5nVVhwRnh1VW1CVFRhdz09 Meeting ID: 848 5465 1246 Passcode: 458682 Dial-in number: +1 786-635-1003

November 2024

Resilient shorelines and spaces workgroup meeting.

Link to meeting materials   Zoom details:  Link to Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84618720910?pwd=ba5c5jteOjRz69V6f1WMzhcGwg0aHf.1 Meeting ID: 846 1872 0910 Passcode: 417927

Holiday/TBRPC Office Closed

In observance of Veteran's Day, the TBRPC Office will be closed.

Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Meeting

Local emergency planning committee meeting.

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the TBRPC Office will be closed.

December 2024

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Latest News

• September 13, 2024

TBRPC and Halff Associates Won 2024 ESRI Special Achievement Award in GIS for Tampa Bay Regional Inundation Coordination (TBRIC) Project

• August 23, 2024

The Agency on Bay Management (ABM) Recently Expanded and Is Now the Agency on Bay and Coastal Management (ABCM)

• July 23, 2024

An Industrial Land Strategy for Hernando County

• June 12, 2024

The Report for the Military Installation Resilience Review (MIRR) for MacDill Air Force Base Is Out Now!

• May 31, 2024

TBRPC’s Director of Resiliency Speaks Alongside Tampa and St. Petersburg Mayors

• May 17, 2024

The Regional Resiliency Summit Presentations and Photos Are Now Available!

30th Future of the Region Awards

• May 14, 2024

TBRPC Is Now Accepting Applications for FY25 Stormwater Education Funding

• April 2, 2024

TBRPC Competes for EPA Funding to Implement the Sunshine State Energy Resilience Coalition Project

• April 1, 2024

Tbrpc Presents Clean Air Tampa Bay to Congresswoman Castor and EPA Deputy Director McCabe

• March 29, 2024

TBRPC Resiliency Team Submits EPA-funded Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP)

• March 26, 2024

Council Newsletter – March 2024

• March 22, 2024

TBRPC Launches Its Brand New Government Liaison Program

• February 15, 2024

Resilient Shorelines Resource Hub

• February 13, 2024

The Call for Entries for the Future of the Region Awards Is Now Open!

The TBRPC Resiliency Team Attended the Inflation Reduction Act Educational Workshop

• February 8, 2024

The Resiliency Coalition Steering Committee’s First Annual Planning Meeting

• January 2, 2024

Registration for the Regional Resiliency Summit Is Now Open

• December 25, 2023

Council Newsletter – December 2023

• December 19, 2023

The New 2024 Officers Are Named for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council

TBRPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, A Drug Free Workplace and Adheres to ADA Standards

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer, a Drug Free Workplace, and adheres to all ADA standards of employment.

We are committed to building a team that is comprised of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities. It is the policy of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council to provide a work environment free from discrimination, harassment, and related inappropriate behavior. 

The TBRPC does not condone or tolerate any behavior that is discriminatory, harassing or otherwise inappropriate when such behavior is based on an Individual’s or group’s race, color, national origin, religion, gender/gender identity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, language, military status, ancestry, personal appearance, citizenship status, child birth or related medical conditions, family responsibilities, political or union affiliation, or other protected category. Further, the TBRPC does not and will not tolerate discrimination against, or harassment of or by, our employees, job applicants, consultants, vendors, or visitors to our facility.

Wren G. Krahl, PHR-CP Executive Director [email protected] , (727) 570-5151, ext. 22

TBRPC's Website Accessibility Statement

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website and actively works to improve accessibility.

If you encounter any inaccessible material while using the website or need assistance regarding the accessibility of our website content, please contact Maria Robles, [email protected] , (727) 570-5151 ext. 11. 

Destinations International’s Annual Convention Draws Record Crowd in Tampa

Tampa, Florida

Record-breaking attendance and an emphasis on local community engagement defined this year’s iteration of Destinations International’s Annual Convention, which took place July 16-18 at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, Florida.

According to Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International (DI), a sell-out crowd of nearly 1,900 attendees from 34 different countries and territories were in attendance. 

“In so many ways, Tampa is a unique and special convention for us, and we have made a concerted effort to engage with the local community, from supporting local businesses and non-profits to providing mentoring opportunities for local youth,” he said.

“We were honored to host such an illustrious group of attendees and are already hearing incredible stories about their time experiencing the wonderful sites, sounds, and people of Tampa Bay," said Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. 

The association for DMOs worked closely with Visit Tampa Bay for their annual convention to curate an experience at the event where they hoped attendees could feel engaged and connected with the Tampa Bay community by learning about issues that affect the residents and economy of the area. This was a seemingly intentional move for the association, which has firmly expressed opposition to strategies like destination boycotts in states like Florida, where controversial legislation has made national headlines and stirred hesitation by some meeting professionals to bring business there. 

Activating and engaging with the local communities is a practice the association has preached, and DI used the convention to show this in action. Some of the on-the-ground initiatives included: 

• Partnering with the NAACP of Hillsborough County to allow high-school students to shadow DI professionals. 
• Community service efforts with Feeding Tampa Bay. 
• Creating a “Giving Circle” through which attendees could donate funds to local non-profits. 
• Teaming up with Visit Tampa Bay to showcase small local businesses during the convention. 
• Encouraging conference attendees to support Visit Tampa Bay’s Summer Market on July 17 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., where a diverse variety of local businesses, including several which are minority owned, welcomed all conference attendees, Visit Tampa Bay partners and the public to the Unlock Tampa Bay Visitor Center to sip, shop and save. 

Following the convention, DI plans to catalogue these efforts into a “Tampa Case Study” that will be shared with DMOs both domestically and internationally later this year.

DI isn’t the only visiting convention to employ this strategy. When Omega Psi Phi Fraternity hosted its 84th and largest Grand Conclave ever at the Tampa Convention Center—drawing 30,000 attendees generating an estimated overall economic impact of more than $21 million—it held book and voter registration drives.  

[Related: 10 Ways Meeting Planners Can Work With CVBs to Create a Welcoming Environment ]

Destinations International Makes Strides in Advocacy and Inclusivity Efforts

During the convention, DI made a number of announcements around their advocacy and inclusivity efforts. 

Destinations International and TravelAbility Launch 'Accessibility Playbook'

DI partnered with TravelAbility, a leading conference and media company dedicated to making travel easier and more enjoyable for people with disabilities and the aging population, to launch the “ Accessibility Playbook . ” This comprehensive guide equips destinations and travel businesses to help them improve their accessibility and inclusion initiatives for travelers with disabilities.

While strides have been made in accessibility in the meetings industry, there are still many gaps. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the global population, live with disabilities, and travelers with disabilities continue to face many barriers on their journeys for leisure or business, from initial travel research to visitation. 

Now available online for purchase by DI members, the “Accessibility Playbook” is a comprehensive resource and tool for DMOs to use in their destinations, containing technology recommendations, use-case scenarios and data to inform accessibility strategy and decision. The Playbook includes more than 90 tips vetted by leading disability advocacy organizations, in addition to “TravelAbility Trusted” innovations, amenities and a directory of third-party providers that can help destination organizations and travel businesses assess and scale existing accessibility efforts. 

“Accessibility is a critical and growing focus for our members,” Welsh said. “It’s important to visitors as well as residents, and a key component of a welcoming and thriving community.”

“This is a win-win for travel organizations and the millions of travelers who can benefit from more accessible and inclusive travel experiences,” said Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility. “TravelAbility is thrilled to partner with Destinations International to advance the cause of accessibility in the travel industry. What excites me the most is that this partnership opens the door to reaching more than 750 destinations worldwide to help them become more inclusive.”

Destinations International Launches Destination Effect Advocacy Awareness Campaign and Website

Galvanizing support for the travel and meetings industry on a local and federal government level has been a major focus for associations like DI, U.S. Travel and others in recent years. To continue these efforts and best prepare DMO professionals to educate policymakers, elected officials, media and the public on the importance and impact of DMOs, DI launched a new campaign around the idea during its Annual Convention.

The “Destination Effect Advocacy Awareness Campaign” is a public facing advocacy effort to foster better understanding of the important role and impact of destination organizations in their communities. It’s part of the association’s ongoing work to raise awareness and enhance understanding of the significant role of DMOs. 

Other strategies this year included the publication of “Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality,” a report that identifies how DMOs are uniquely positioned to help drive positive transformation in the local community.

"The Destination Effect is achieved by using destination promotion to transform a location into a destination,” said Jack Johnson, chief advocacy officer at DI. “A destination is where people want to visit, live, work, play and invest. Together, these are the indicators of community vitality—a community’s energy, liveliness, drive and ambition. The work of destination organizations is to be the catalyst for community vitality, and they are uniquely positioned to do it.”

The campaign will offer a range of materials developed by DI and its members, including key industry research, case studies and storytelling. These materials will be made available on the campaign website, www.thedestinationeffect.com , which launched this week and will continue to be expanded and refreshed for those seeking to learn more about our industry sector as well as those who seek to improve their community by incorporating the best practices from DMOs around the world. 

The website will host links to resources of interest to policy makers and elected officials such as industry briefs, blog posts and podcasts from the membership of DI, peer organizations, other non-profit policy centers and academia, along with a wide range of other sources. 

Destinations International Names Chicago as 2025 Annual Convention Location

Next year, DI announced that it will take the Annual Convention to Chicago from July 9-11, 2025.

"We had a record-breaking Annual Convention in Tampa this year and based on our guest feedback we couldn’t be more pleased by the results,” Welsh said. “We’re deeply grateful to Visit Tampa Bay president & CEO Santiago Corrada and his outstanding team for their warm hospitality, partnership and hard work to make this year’s convention an unforgettable experience. We’re excited to be heading to Chicago next year for our 2025 Annual Convention and look forward to working with Rich Gamble, interim CEO at Choose Chicago and his entire team to plan another must-attend conference for our members. Chicago holds a special place in my heart as my family and I called it home for five years when I served as the CEO of Choose Chicago." 

DI also named its new chair leadership at the conclusion of this year's convention. Scott White, president amd CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs, assumed the role of chair of DI, and Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International, assumed the role of chair of the DI Foundation.

Read more CVB/DMO news .

Danielle started at Meetings Today in March 2019 after seven years of editorial experience in the travel and food industries. She oversees all of the destination content for Meetings Today and collaborates with the team on digital content strategy and content marketing initiatives.

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Tampa Bay EDC

2024 Annual Meeting

A must-attend event for business and community leaders, the Tampa Bay EDC’s 2024 Annual Meeting is set for Wednesday, October 23, from the Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at 4 p.m.

This year’s theme perfectly describes our team at the EDC and the overall Tampa community. We’re determined, accomplished, and still not done. We’re LEVELING UP .

Refund Policy

All ticket purchases are final. Contact the Tampa Bay EDC to request a ticket transfer/refund. Eventbrite’s fee is nonrefundable.

Refunded tickets

Refunds will include the ticket price less the Eventbrite fees (which consists of the payment processing fee and the service fee combined).

Cost of Living in Tampa Bay

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• 37th Annual Meeting & Luncheon

Tuesday >> June 27, 2023 >> 11:30am-2:00pm

Join the Tampa Downtown Partnership on June 27, 2023, at the JW Marriott Water Street for the 37th Tampa Downtown Partnership’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon. Hear from featured speaker, Tama Duffy Day, Principal from Gensler. Tama is a firmwide leader and expert on the benefits of generative space. For the last three decades, she has been an activist on the impact of design on a community’s inclusivity and longevity.

11:30am-12pm | Coffee, Registration & Networking

12-12:30pm | Annual Meeting & Induction of New Leadership

12:30-1pm | Plated Lunch

1-1:30pm | Featured Speaker

1:30-2pm | Conclusion & Networking

Sponsorship opportunities, corporate tables, and tickets are available!

Thank you to our sponsors:

– AECOM Technical Services, Inc. – Baker Barrios Architects – City of Tampa, Tampa Convention Center & Aramark – Cushman & Wakefield – Dohring Ahern Brokerage – Gensler – Hill Ward Henderson – Hyatt Place/ Hyatt House Tampa Downtown – JW Marriott/Tampa Marriott Water Street – Port Tampa Bay – Suffolk Construction Company – The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company – Trenam Law – Visit Tampa Bay

– Burr & Forman – Save the Date Florida – Tampa Bay EDC – VHB Engineering

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TAKEOVER TAMPA BAY

Convention services.

From the first planning visit to the departure of your last attendee, Visit Tampa Bay makes it easy to claim Tampa Bay for your next event. Once you’ve decided to take over Tampa Bay for your next meeting or convention, the Destination Services team will assist you through all phases of planning and executing your meeting.

INFO ON TAMPA BAY

As local experts, we are able to help you secure the perfect restaurant for your board dinner – just ask! Looking for the best location for your offsite reception? Ask Visit Tampa Bay! What’s the weather like in May? We know! How far is the airport? We can tell you! What local events coincide with your meeting? We will find out! Everything you need to know for your takeover is just a phone call or e-mail away.

ATTENDANCE BUILDING

Visit Tampa Bay offers a wide variety of materials and publications to help drive attendance for your upcoming meeting in Tampa Bay. The official destination guide is a lifestyle magazine that offers visitors plenty of information on ways to unlock Tampa Bay. We have map brochures and even a customizable save-the-date piece. And for your meeting website – a great, fast-moving promotional video is available for you to use. Learn more about pre-promotion guidelines and unlock more details on promoting your meeting!

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Visit Tampa Bay’s Services staff members can assist in setting aside a morning or afternoon during your agenda for attendees to participate in a planned project for a local charity. Need something quicker? We can suggest local non-profits to work with in collecting goods or making a donation. No matter what the scale – we will assist you in finding a local project that aligns with the mission and vision of your organization.

Visitor Experiences

When your attendees come to Tampa for their meeting, they are also coming to experience this amazing destination!  From exciting nightlife to a delightful dining scene to a welcoming LGBTQ+ Community , Tampa Bay has it all!

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