Summer tourism campaigns, industrial tourism, and Bahamas' travel incentives

Robin Hicks-Connors, Gary Guertin and Lisa Gilrane (not
pictured Ed Griffith) explore St. Lucie County's summer
tourism campaign and industrial tourism.

Broadcasting a live remote from Hutchinson Island, Jensen Beach, Florida is certainly a great way to start a weekend!  From the Presidential Suite of the Marriott Courtyard Jensen Beach Hutchinson Island, guests Ed Griffin and Lisa Gilrane filled the hour with some great information.

First up was Lisa giving us the low-down on St. Lucie County’s ongoing efforts to promote Ft. Pierce as a fishing and boating mecca. The campaign targeted the Tampa Bay area over the summer. Why Tampa Bay?  It may have something to do with the number of registered boats in that area of the state and the fact that it is only a three hour drive from the Treasure Coast among other things.  Lisa gave us the results of the campaign and told listeners how tourism stakeholders in St. Lucie County were involved in the promotion. If you missed the live broadcast, get all the details here.

The topic of industrial tourism on the Treasure Coast was very informative.  Ed Griffin, had plenty to share about the topic from a personal, as well as professional, perspective.  Thanks to the Hutchinson Island St. Lucie County Nuclear Power Plant, the Treasure Coast tourism industry is significantly impacted by the regularly scheduled outages, which ensure the safety of the plant.  The hundreds of workers who come into the area have a very large impact on the regional tourism industry. From hotels and restaurants to attractions and grocery stores, this phenomenon seems to occur on a regular basis and frankly is under most people’s radar screens. The economic impact is huge. Many thanks Ed for sharing the local industrial tourism information with Talkin' Tourism.

The hour was completed with updates on approaching local events,, Bahamas updates ($300 fuel credit and a special Abaco offering for Talkin' Tourism listeners) and Robin’s “This Week in History.”

Here's the September 16 audio file for those who might of missed the show, or for those  just now tuning in.

See you on Friday with another hour-filled episode featuring tourism news from both near and far!

Industrial tourism and packaging St. Lucie County as a fishing destination

The term “industrial tourism” is one not frequently heard or mentioned in most tourism circles. This form of tourism is concerned with visits to contemporary industrial sites to see products made, services delivered and the processes and people involved. Using guided tours, viewing galleries and purpose-built centers, visitors are provided with insights into the workplace, and companies can reap public relations benefits. 

The range of industrial attractions is wide and sites include factories, mining operations, power stations, dairies, wineries and theatres. There is however, another form of industrial tourism that the Treasure Coast experiences every 12 to 18 months. This form of tourism involves hundreds of workers coming into an area to perform work on an industrial site. In this case, the St. Lucie County Nuclear Power Plant. So, just how is the Treasure Coast impacted? Will they utilize hotel rooms in the area? What other accommodations do these workers uses. Will it make it harder for leisure visitors to find accommodations during the upcoming winter season? Talkin’ Tourism plans to dive into this subject to learn more.

The Treasure Coast has long been known as a superior sportfishing destination. It appears that St. Lucie County is making a very strong effort to capitalize on this opportunity. Lisa Gilrane, a member of the St. Lucie County Tourism Development Council, will share how tourism officials are supporting this effort.

As we do every week, we will let you know what’s going on in the Bahamas, South Florida and the Treasure Coast.

See you for this Friday's show high above Jensen Beach from the top floor of the Courtyard Marriott Hutchinson Island!