Treasure Coast Tourism Forecast from the 'Experts'

What happens when you get two Realtors and a marina/boatyard general manager in one place and give them a chance to talk? A great show of course! Thanks to Todd Doss (REMAX of Stuart), Jeannie Baron (Beach Front Mann Realty) and John Smith (River Forest Yachting Centers), this week’s show shed great light on the importance of valued seasonal residents.

Points covered during the hour broadcast include new trends in today's fragile economy, the ways valued seasonal landlubbers and boaters contribute to regional economies, which county in South Florida had the highest average hotel rom rate and which one had the highest occupancy, and how this August's tourism figures compared to last year's.

If your business depends on the southern migration of this important group of people, you will know that you are not alone! Tune in and you’ll hear the group's forecast for this winter season.

Besides the main topic of the day, show hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connors dove into other fun topics and community events lining up along the Treasure Coast. For avid offshore anglers, the duo talked about the Bahamas Wahoo Challenge. The first leg is right around the corner and it's on one of Gary and Robin's favorite Bahamian islands.

As always, the hour flew by! See you next Friday, same time (10:05 a.m), same station (WPSL 1590 AM or http://www.wpsl.com/). And, please pass along to your favorite valued seasonal resident, family and friends the link to Talkin' Tourism on Florida's Treasure Coast (and Beyond!).

In case you missed the show, here's the (9/24/2010) audio file for your listening pleasure!

It's a Pre-Season Kick-Off!

Soon, the Treasure Coast will witness a migration as consistent as that of the annual return of the sailfish to Treasure Coast waters each year. That’s right, the trickle of valued seasonal residents will soon begin and before you know it, the trickle will turn to a steady stream of those returning to their second homes and condominiums or filling hotels and vacation villas.

Often overlooked, but as important is the return of valued seasonal boaters. As a major maritime region, the Treasure Coast plays host to thousands of seasonal boaters each winter. So if a condo is where people sleep, would not a slip be where a boat sleeps?

While seasonal residents, landlubbers or yachties, are not truly considered “tourist” in the classical sense, they do contribute to our region's hospitality stakeholders in a big way. So, just how big an economic impact does this group make? We'll discuss that, as well as other contributions they bring to the Treasure Coast.

This week's guest include Todd Doss, Jeannie Baron and John Smith.

Todd  is a Realtor with ReMax of Stuart, and a three generation Floridian. He specializes in rental properties in the Stuart area. Jeannie is a Realtor with Beach Front Mann Realty has been involved in her industry on Hutchinson Island for over 20 years. And, John is the current president of the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast and the general manager of River Forest Yachting Centers of Stuart and LaBelle, Florida. He'll share his insights on marketing the Treasure Coast as a major seasonal boating mecca for valued seasonal boaters.

In case you were thinking the word “snowbird," think again. This week, we'll let you know exactly what a snowbird is or is not.

Tune your radio dial to WPSL 1590 AM this Friday at 10:05 a.m. or your computer browser to www.wpsl.com for the live stream and enjoy the show. One thing for certain, the crew and guests on Talkin' Tourism on the Florida's Treasure Coast (and Beyond!) will certainly have a blast!