Marine Tourism is BIG Business Around the World

Just 103 weeks ago, Gary and Misti Guertin, along with Robin Hicks-Connors, launched into the world of regional tourism promotion via local radio, internet and social media. Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast was born. This Friday’s 104th show will mark the second anniversary of the show! How time flies when you are having fun (and rum)! Over the past two years, based upon the acceptance of the show in the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands, we had to change its name. It's now affectionately known as Talkin’ Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast (and Beyond)! 

It is fitting that our two-year anniversary will be marked by a live remote this week from the 37th annual Stuart Boat Show—and, it also marks the second show we've done from the Stuart Boat Show.

On the Treasure Coast (and beyond), marine tourism is a huge segment of tourism economy. As a matter of fact, in Martin County, there are nearly as many, if not more, wet slips and dry boat storage spaces than hotel rooms! 

This week’s show includes a line-up of guests who contribute in a big way to the Treasure Coast's and other  marine tourism economies. Here's the line-up:

• Rick Allen, president of AllSports Productions and the Stuart Boat Show's producer
• Jon Burkard, vice-president of brokerage sales for Allied Marine, a Ferretti Group Company
• Richard Treco, manager of special markets for the Bahamas Tourist Office
• Chris Pollock, director of operations for Bimini Big Game Club/Guy Harvey Outpost Resort
• Rozeta Mahboubi, executive director of the Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• John Smith, the general manager of River Forest Yachting Center and the president of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast (MIATC).

A few other surprise guests and fans will most likely be thrown into the boat, too!

One thing is certain, we promise a fun, lively and  informative show, so tune in this Friday (January 14) to WPSL 1590 AM or www.wpsltv.com at 10:05 a.m. This is a ship (oops, we mean show), you won't want to miss!

(P.S. If you're on Facebook, get more show details on the Stuart Boat Show's Facebook Page.)

Ships Ahoy on the Treasure Coast and Beyond...

Settling back at the Elliott Museum studio after a hectic holiday season, Radio Man and History Lady kick-started 2011 by focussing on a great Treasure Coast family attraction and inviting Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast executive director Tammy Calabria as the first show guest of the year.

For many years, the Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast was the dream of a dedicated group of local and seasonal residents. The dream became a reality in 2008, and with the recently added Spanish Galleon exhibit, the Children’s Museum is a must see and do for visiting families and local families alike. Last Friday’s show will provide you everything you need to know about this Treasure Coast arts and culture asset. Thanks Tammy for sharing this information with our listeners. Don’t forget to check out the photo gallery below to see a sneak peek of this great attraction!

Other show conversation and fun centered around Gary starting the new year off by being a tourist himself and spending several days of the first week of  2011 in the Bahamas. If you listened in, you know his island destination and what Discovery he came across.

The weekly Bahamas Update, Treasure Coast Things-to-Do, Places-to-Go and People-to-See, and more is ready for you when you download last Friday’s show. Here's the file!

See you on Friday from the Stuart Boat Show!

Spanish Galleons, Cracker Houses and Pint-Sized Florida Towns for Kids

Most museums on the Treasure Coast are devoted to specific genres that typically appeal more to adults...art museums, natural arts, period museums and historical museums. Enter the museum especially built for children, where everything is purposely designed with kids in mind. In Jensen Beach at Indian Riverside Park, the Treasure Coast is extremely fortunate to have a children's museum , and especially one that celebrates the Treasure Coast's heritage. What woulc be more fitting than exhibits like a 60-foot replica Spanish Galleon built exclusively for the enjoyment of children? Or a child-sized Floridian town, with a grocery store, a traditional Floridian cracker house, a wellness center and a beach-themed toddler play area?

This week the executive director of the Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast's executive director Tammy Calabria, will provide all the details on how this unique attraction for the Children's Museum became a reality. She'll also share the various educational enrichment activities at the museum that bring history alive for children.

Arts and culture are alive on the Treaasure Coast, even for children! Listen in tomorrow (Friday, January 7) to WPSL 1590 AM or online at http://www.wpsltv.com/ and learn more on how the Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast brings history alive!

Who Ate Grapes, Hid the Knives, Broke All the Dishes and Why?

One of the great responsibilities of radio on-air personalities is the requirement to paint pictures with words. Friday’s show was a great illustration of this requisite. Rumor had it, based on several Facebook postings, that the studio may be in several different locations, ranging from Foxy’s in the British Virgin Islands to some secret location on the Treasure Coast. The fun fact is we could have been anywhere you wanted us to be! The secret location was somewhere in FLAHAMA, a Great State of Mind. It was a fitting salute to 2010 for History Lady, Radio Man and special guest host Ed Griffith to be together sharing with listeners the highlights of our 2010 shows. There were many great memories and insider stories as Robin and Ed disclosed some of their favorite shows. Interestingly, some of Ed and Robin's picks were the same shows!

Since Talkin' Tourism is tourism centric, it only made sense for Gary and Robin to take a quick spin around the globe to explore some of the traditions and lore associated with the New Year in various countries. Do you know what pasta is the correct pasta to eat on New Year’s Day in Sicily? How about in what country is it customary to eat a dozen grapes at the stroke of midnight and which country consumes thirteen? And it what country do they hide all the knives in the house for 24 hours? Great New Year’s Eve cocktail party trivia indeed.

And if that wasn't enough, a few specialty cocktail recipes and news on fishing tournaments here and abroad were thrown in the mix to close out our last show of 2010. If you missed the fun, you can download last week's show here.

We hope you had a fabulous Old Year’s Night, and are off to a healthy and prosperous New Year. See you next week in 2011!