In search of Carl Hiaasen, Gloria Estefan, John Walsh, and Steve Case.

Vero Beach, here we come!  So what's with the blog's title if Talkin' Tourism is headed to Vero Beach? According to Wikipedia, all three are notable residents of Vero Beach.

As we have demonstrated in the past, Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast does not always have to cross the Gulf Stream in order to do a live remote broadcast, although it is pretty darn fun! This week Gary and Robin cruise up the coast to Vero Beach in Indian River County to explore another great resort property, Costa d’Este Beach Resort.  Thanks to the generosity of Monica Smiley, director of sales for this Personal Luxury Resort, we'll take listeners on a personal and up close look at this Treasure Coast gem.

Also joining us this week will be Susan Hunt, the director of tourism for Indian County, and Susie Canino, a photographer and co-founder of PS Photography, who has teamed up with a number of Indian River properties. Sounds like we'll be discussing the merits of collaboration among industry stakeholders.

Other topics up for discussion:  Vero Beach is listed as one of the 100 Best Art Towns in the USA, what’s happening to Dodgertown now that the Dodgers have left, who or what is “Vero Man," and Pelican Island, possibly the very first wildlife refuge in the United States.

This week’s show will once again be packed with information to keep you abreast of all you need to know about Treasure Coast tourism and the players who make it happen.

Tune your radio dial  to WPSL 1590 AM on Friday (February 26) at 10 a.m. or catch the show on your computer at http://www.wpsl.com/.

Literature meets Tourism

The latest episode of Talkin' Tourism proved that tourists do not have to take a reading test before taking a vacation and that Literacy Tourism is certainly alive, well and growing. Stuart based author Paul McElroy brought his characters to life and described that in many cases there may be no difference between fact and fiction. Promoting the Treasure Coast from Hyannis, Massachusetts to Las Vegas, Nevada, conducting book signings, and attending other literary events, Paul certainly describes how literary tourism works to the benefit of a destination.

Show hosts Robin Hicks-Connors and Gary Guertin had a great time chatting with Paul. Who knows? Perhaps some day Radio Man and History Lady may end up being a character in one of Paul’s books! Ah, the mystery and intrigue!

Most people may think of libraries as dull, unexciting and a place where a matronly librarian does nothing but sort books, file catalogue cards and says "shhhhh!" Judi Snyder, the Assistant Director of Public Service for the Martin County Library System definitely put that concept to rest. Libraries are “happening.” Events such as BookMania!, book signings, author lectures and much more bring not only locals but definitely attract out of town guests.

Besides this week’s special guests, the show was packed with everything from an Abaco Junkanoo update, Sir Richard Branson’s “one of a kind” flying submarine available to guest of his 105 foot catamaran “Necker Belle” (available for $88,000 per week) in the British Virgin Islands, the rebirth of VISIT Florida’s “Share a Little Sunshine” campaign and much more.

If you missed the live show, you can download the February 19 episode of Talkin' Tourism HERE.

Thanks for listening and see you next week with more fun and information.

Booked this Week---Literary Tourism

Certainly by now listeners have come to realize that there are many different types of  tourism—ecotourism, geotourism, sports tourism, heritage tourism and more. As Talkin' Tourism on Florida’s Treasure Coast continues to bring our listeners the latest in tourism trends and information, hosts Gary Guertin and Robin Hicks-Connors will keep you on the cutting edge of this fascinating industry.

What’s up this week? Literary Tourism. No, this does not mean that you have to pass a reading test or create a bibliography before going on your next vacation. Literary Tourism is defined as: a type of cultural tourism that deals with places and events from fictional texts as well as the lives of their authors. This could include following the route a fictional character charts in a novel, visiting particular settings from a story or tracking down the haunts of a novelist.

To explore this tourism segment, Gary and Robin have invited Stuart-based author Paul McElroy to share the airwaves. Paul has penned a number of great mystery novels, which include history, events, places and locations on the Treasure Coast. Some of Paul’s work includes Treasure Coast Deceit, Treasure Coast Gold and Treasure Coast Archipelago. Strap yourself in—Mr. McElroy is quite a character.

Next we'll find out if and how literary tourism impacts Treasure Coast libraries and book stores. Judi Snyder, Associate Director of Public Services at the Martin County Library System, will provide more insight on the library system's annual Book Mania!, which just completed its 16th year.

Each and every Talkin' Tourism helps keep you up on Treasure Coast events and happenings, Bahamas updates, giveaways and lots of fun. You never know what surprises are in store or what unannounced guests might make an unexpected appearance in our studio. Tune in to WPSL 1590 AM or http://www.wpsl.com/ this Friday (Feb 19) at 10 a.m. to enjoy the show (and fun) live from the Captain’s Lounge at Harborage Yacht Club and Marina.

Share a Little Sunshine Campaign Re-Launching Today

Today in Miami, Governor Crist helped re-launch the Share a Little Sunshine campaign. The Florida tourism industry challenges all Floridians to do just that---Share a Little Sunshine.

The video below tells you why and more details are listed below. To learn more about the campaign and to send an invitation, visit http://www.sharealittlesunshine.org/.

Share a Little Sunshine---The cause? Helping our state's economy by helping encourage tourism - an industry responsible for a million Florida jobs and about a fifth of the state's economy.

How can you help? Send a postcard or invitation to friends or family. It's as easy as that. Each invitation carries with it a special discount or offer - to friends and family of Floridians. So you're not only sharing Florida sunshine, you're also sharing Florida opportunities.

What's in for you? When you love Florida, Florida loves you back. In addition to helping your own state's economy, we'll thank you by entering you to win a Sunshine vacation.

It's really simple. When you send an invitation, the person you invite gets your invitation plus a special offer. You get entered for a chance to win a Florida vacation, and Florida's economy may benefit from another visitor.