Paddling up to Tourism

Travel and tourism is big business worldwide. So big in fact that here in the U.S., an entire week (first full week in May)—National Tourism Week—is set aside to celebrate and educate. Celebrate? Yes, with lots of parties and publicity to celebrate the power of travel. Educate? Yes, continuing to educate the general public on the overall economic importance of tourism, and how the industry increases their quality of life.

This week two champions of tourism will join Talkin' Tourism to continue the tourism celebration and education. Rozeta Mahboubi, executive director of the Martin County, Florida Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Charlotte Lombard, tourism manager for St. Lucie County, Florida, will describe what their bureaus have done to recognize this most important economic generator.

Enthusiastically passionate about the industry, Rozeta and Charlotte will have lots to offer. Here are two tourism factoids to ponder:

1. Each household in the U.S. would pay $1,000.00 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the industry
2. Total travel and tourism jobs in the U.S. is 14.1 million. You could fill the Louisiana Superdome more than 101 times over with people directly employed in travel.

So, how important is travel and tourism on the local level? That very question will be answered during the show.

Paddling along, it seems like where ever there is water, people figure out a new and fun way to enjoy it. This week you'll meet Dan Numann, the owner and operator of Coastal Paddle Boarding. Dan and his wife Rochelle are introding this popular new water adventure to Martin County residents and visitors. Just several years ago you would be hard pressed to find anyone locally that pursued this sport. Today, it is one of the hottest aquatic pastimes anywhere. Suited for young and old alike (Dan claims from age 8 to 80), paddle boarding is a great multi-generational family activity, and Dan also claims, a "chick sport." Radio Man and History Lady love to talk about tourism, but there are times when it is fun to actually experience tourism. So, earlier this week, show co-producers Gary and Misti, along with Robin, took Dan up on his offer to “just get up and paddle," an adventure many visitors and residents are enjoying on Treasure Coast waterways. So how was it? Will they do it again? Would this be something fun to do in the Bahamas? Tune in for those answers and for details on the paddling adventure.

Besides tourism and standup paddleboarding, more fun and informative items are on show menu including Summer Safety Tips for Teen Travel developed by the Road Less Traveled adventure tour company, Bahamas updates and more. And speaking of the Bahamas and travel, Gary and Robin will let you know during the show where Talkin' Tourism will be broadcasting from in two weeks! Hint: Let's go, go, go to A_ _ _ _!

See you Friday Morning…LIVE from the beautiful Courtyard Marriott-Hutchinson Island in Jensen Beach.http://theroadlesstraveled.com/

A three-county tourism soiree on air

What do you get when four dynamic, passionate, ebullient tourism professionals mix it up in the Talkin' Tourism on Florida's Treasure Coast studio? One fantastic show!

History Lady's adoring fans kicked off the show by sending her some happy birthday wishes, and then Radio Man and Robin jumped right into this week’s theme - National Travel and Tourism Week and Tourism 101. Gary gave a rundown of the who, when, what and why of this special industry week that promotes the travel and tourism industry. Tune in to find out which United States President issued the Presidential Proclamation that created this annual week of travel appreciation!

Then it was time for our listeners to learn the ropes of Treasure Coast tourism under the tutelage of three very qualified instructors - St. Lucie County Tourism Development Council coordinator Charlotte Lombard, Mary Jayne Kelly from the Cultural Council of Indian River County, and Rozeta Mahboubi, executive director of the Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Each of our distinguished guests took turns explaining the ins and outs of the tourism industry across the three Treasure Coast counties, including the pros and cons of how Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties go about promoting travel. Some counties operate their tourism promotions through a Convention and Visitors Bureau, others market tourism through a Chamber of Commerce. Listen in to hear what about what makes each county distinct, and what the three Treasure Coast counties have in common to offer to travelers.

On a side note - “Are You a…Culture Vulture” is a great publication produced by the Cultural Council of Indian River County…is it for the birds?

As suspected, each county will be recognizing National Tourism and Travel Week in its own unique way. Radio Man may have offered a suggestion to promote the week, and the girls may have liked what he had to say. Those are all the details you'll get unless you tune in!

And finally, Erica Byfield, president of Comet Creative, helped revisit the Treasure Coast-Bahamas connection in the works in St. Lucie County. Are these folks who are garnering support for the St. Lucie County/Grand Bahama Island Initiative near reaching a plan of action?

As always, a big Talkin' Tourism thanks to our guests for appearing on the show this week to share a wealth of knowledge about our coast's tourism industry.

Tourism 101: CVBs, TDCs and C of Cs

For the first time in the history of Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast, tourism gurus from Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties will be in the studio at the same time. What a coup! With National Tourism Week coming up quickly (May 8-16), the timing is perfect.

All three ladies have appeared on the show at one time or another in the last year. This week, we reconvene with Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Rozeta Mahboubi, St. Lucie County Tourism Development Council coordinator Charlotte Lombard and Mary Jayne Kelly, executive director of the Cultural Council of Indian River County. With these three lively ladies in the house (and History Lady thrown into the mix), we’ll need two hours on the air!

Let's see what nuggets of knowledge these tourism leaders can unearth about their multi-county collaboration plans and goals. Our three Treasure Coast experts will also discuss how their strategies for bringing in tourism have to be tailored specifically for their counties.

Has anything yet come from the St. Lucie County/Grand Bahama Island initiative? Comet Creative advertising and marketing master George Byfield may bring you up to date on that as well.

Another installment of Talkin' Tourism is on the way, this Friday at 10 a.m. Tune into WPSL AM 1590, or http://www.wpsl.com/ for all the witty banter and tourism tidbits you can handle!

Photo from StuartFla.com