What's Tourism Mean on the Treasure Coast?

Can you tell what Rozeta Mahboubi thinks about tourism?

Talkin’ Tourism was in the thick of the 4th Annual Treasure Coast Business Summit held at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center. The place was packed! With WPSL 1590AM owner Greg Wyatt serving as the engineer and co-host Robin Hicks-Connor back after a two week “break,” the show focused on Treasure Coast tourism.

Guests Rozeta Mahboubi, executive director of the Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Charlotte Bireley, the tourism manager for the St. Lucie County Tourism Development Council, gave listeners a great overview on the importance of tourism here on the Treasure Coast.

Talkin' Tourism hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connor
with tourism warriors Rozeta Mahboubi and Charlotte Bireley.

What made the show special was that the week of May 7 through May 13th was National Travel and Tourism Week. Both ladies shared what special activities and events took place in their respective county to commemorate tourism.

Rozeta was particularly pleased with the results of a new video created for the Martin County Convention and Vistors Bureau (see below).

Lots of great information was shared, including highlights from Robin’s recent visit to Epcot, changes at the Bimini Big Game Club, an update on Treasure Coast fishing tournaments, and lots more.

Thanks for tuning in. See you again on Friday, 10:05 a.m. on WPSL 1590AM or at www.wpsltv.com!

Camping in the Wonderful Outdoors!

Grab your sleeping bags, canteens, and mess kits! This week, in the quest to explore all forms of tourism endeavors, Talkin’ Tourism delves into the wonderful world of camping. How popular is camping and who is the "average" camper? According to the Outdoor Federation:

• In 2008, 33.7 million Americans between the ages of 6 and older participated in car or backyard camping activities and 16.5 million Americans participated in RV camping
• 56 percent of all campers are male and 43 percent are female
• 24.7% of campers have a household income between $50,00 and $75,000 and 24.9% over $100,000

Well, according to the facts above, camping represents a substantial segment of the overall tourism industry. So, how does the world of camping fit into the Treasure Coast, and specifically Martin County? We plan to find out.

Talkin' Tourism hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connors have been invited by Joe Pilla, the park supervisor of Phipps Park located in Martin County, Florida, to learn more about camping and RV opportunities in our neck of the woods. Phipps Park is the only County managed campground in Martin County. The remaining campgrounds and parks in the county are either run by the State of Florida or federal government.

Phipps Park has recently been significantly improved and we'll learn more about those improvements. In addition, Joe will share his insights into his segment of the Treasure Coast tourism scene.

Also rumored to be joining this week’s show is Mark Nichols, founder of the popular DOA Fishing Lures company based in Martin County, and fishing guide Capt. Mike Conner, freelance outdoor writer and contributor to numerous national fishing publications. This should be a great show for all outdoor enthusiasts!

So, get the campfire going, bring out the marshmallows and keep watch for Yogi and Boo-Boo because Friday, January 28, Talkin' Tourism is headed for fun in the great outdoors! Tune in to the fun at 10 a.m. on either your radio dial--WPSL 1590 AM--or via your Internet browser--www.wpsltv.com.

Ladies are Landing the Big Ones, Thanks to Betty

Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast is on a roll! For the second time in two weeks, Robin and Gary are going to have a VISIT FLORIDA Insider in the house.

Our upcoming guest Hilda Mitrani knows Martin County might not exactly be a tourist destination, but that's exactly why the Treasure Coast area might appeal to her. As a VISIT FLORIDA Off the Beaten Path Insider, Hilda seeks out the nooks and crannies of Florida looking for diamond-in-the-rough attractions. A big city Miami native herself, Hilda might just help put Martin County on the beaten path when she checks out and talks up the area's charm.

Will the self-designated “tourism warrior,” Radio Man, a.k.a. Martin County Convention and Visitors Bureau Chairman Gary Guertin, meet his match? This week you will meet Harold “Buzz” Smyth, whose both nickname and tourism prowess rival Radio Man. Buzz recently accepted a professional services contract with the city of Fort Pierce to jumpstart the tourism effort in this historic Florida coastal city. What pixie dust can he sprinkle on tourism stakeholders that the Tourism Development Council and other organizations already haven't tried? Should be a very interesting discussion with this idea man.

Get ready fellas, because the ladies are dropping anchor in the fishing world. Betty Bauman, founder of the popular and well-publicized “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” seminars, will be talking with us about angling for the X chromosome. Her one-of-a-kind program provides women of all ages the chance to learn the ropes - from backing a boat trailer to rigging ballyhoo, and from using a cast net to offshore and inshore angling. Betty will call in this Friday to let us know when Ladies, Let's Go Fishing! will be hitting our area again.

Tune in to start your weekend early on Friday (10 a.m. on WPSL 1590 AM or www.wpsl.com), and hear what Betty, Buzz and Hilda have to say during this week’s edition of Talkin' Tourism with your hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connors.

--Photo from ladiesletsgofishing.com

We're on a roll!

Looks like we're on a roll here...another collaboration of sharing logos and links! Thanks Martin County Convention & Visitor's Bureau (MC-CVB).

Visitors (and residents) will find great information on accommodations, restaurants, shopping, festivals, beaches, fishing, boating and more on the CVB's site. Learn more about the flavors of Martin County!

Talkin' Tourism is working on making 2010 the 'Year of Tourism!'

Stuart Single Fin Showdown and St. Lucie Tourism Feb 20 Show Recap

Listeners of the Feb 20 Talkin' Tourism radio show, now know how surfing brought the show's host, Gary Guertin, to Stuart. The United Way of Martin County's first ever surfing contest--Stuart Single Fin Showdown--slated March 14 and 15 at Stuart Beach, is expected to attract several hundred surfing fans to the area.

Justin Beard, communications director of the United Way, host Gary Guertin and co-host Robin Hicks-Connors touch on the fact that the sport of surfing does have an impact on tourism.

For those listeners who might want to participate in the contest but don't have a board--no problem! Authentic 70s singlefin will be provided to all surfers who enter the competition, and to make it more challenging, those who advance into later rounds will have to ride a different singlefin during each heat. For more information on the surfing contest, click HERE.

Justin promises this is going to be a fun contest where surfers who normally rip on their modern tri-fin shortboard will have to adjust to surfing with a totally different style. Show host Gary Guertin has signed up to be a judge for the inaugural contest.

The second half of the show explores St. Lucie county tourism programs and funding. Charlotte Lombard, Tourism Development Manager for St. Lucie County, who by the way is an avid surfer, profiles where the county's 5% bed tax goes: first 3-cents goes to the Tradition Station operations; the second 1-cent goes to marketing; and the third 1-cent is divided 33.5% to tourism related capital projects, with the remaining 66.5% going to Tradition Stadium bonds.

George Byfield the CEO/Creative Director of Comet Creative, Inc., the advertising agency of record for St. Lucie County tourism programs, talks about his vision to create a "new" destination package to sell that brings tourists to both St. Lucie County and Grand Bahama. Officials have been speaking with Spirit Airlines and other air carriers to connect St. Lucie County International Airport to Grand Bahama, but no agreements are in place yet.

Expected call-in guest James Turner, Executive Vice-President of the Grand Bahama Tourism Promotion Board, wasn't able to join the group, but is expected to join a Grand Bahama delegation coming to St. Lucie County March 4 through March 7.

When the audio clip from Feb 20 show is available, it'll be posted here.