Visit Tampa Bay earns 5 Adrians for 2017

Beer bloggers conference and NYC food event bring top industry honors for tourism marketing

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 21, 2018) – Competing against the world’s largest and best-known brands and advertising agencies, Visit Tampa Bay was honored this week with five Adrian Awards – its highest number ever – from the tourism industry’s top marketing judges for its work to promote Tampa Bay as Florida’s Most diverse travel destination.

Visit Tampa Bay received its Adrian Awards (known as the Oscars of tourism marketing) from HSMAI, the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, February 20 at a black-tie banquet at New York’s Marriott Marquis hotel.

“With the help of our industry partners, the Visit Tampa Bay team does an incredible job telling our story to potential visitors across the country and around the world,” said Santiago Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “Tourism marketing brings millions of visitors and billions of dollars into our community every year – money that supports jobs far beyond those in hotels and attractions. Visit Tampa Bay’s work continues to make Tampa and Hillsborough County a magnet for conventions, leisure travelers and event relocations. Everyone connected to Tampa Bay’s tourism industry can be proud of the work our team did in 2017.”

Visit Tampa Bay earned a Gold, two Silvers, and a Bronze Adrian for its 2016 marketing efforts. The winning projects included:

• Gold Award, Public Relations: Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference. Boasting Florida’s nationally recognized hub for craft beer, Visit Tampa Bay hosted 130 influential bloggers and journalists for three days, introducing them to the region’s vast array of brewers, tasting rooms, and beers – from light and bright to dark as night. The event included a live-blogged group round-robin tasting session at J.J. Taylor Distributing.
• Silver Award, Public Relations (Special Event): “Tampa Bay on the Road.” Chefs Greg Baker and Farrell Alvarez took Tampa Bay’s culinary creativity to Manhattan for national and international media at an event that coincided with the International Media Marketplace and the New York Times Travel Show. Along with Tampa Bay-themed food, the event featured cocktails and cigars, the event was broadcast live to tens of thousands of viewers through Facebook by Food & Wine magazine.
• Bronze Award, Advertising (Complete Campaign): Craftober Tampa Bay. Anchored in October – a month already tied to beer and beer lovers – Visit Tampa Bay worked with its partners to build a fall campaign around the unique and varied craft beer experience available at that time.

• Bronze, Advertising (Video): “7 Cocktails That Made Tampa Bay Famous.” This beautiful, well-made video showcases Tampa Bay’s most popular cocktails – aiming for millennial travelers looking for “Instagrammable” experiences. The gorgeous videography was paired with creative graphics highlighting the ingredients in one drink per bar featured in the video.
• Bronze, Public Relations: Visit Tampa Bay website. A top-to-bottom redesign of the DMO’s website adapted the site to an audience that is more than 60 percent mobile users. The redesign also increased the use of strong visuals and well-written stories highlighting the array of activities available in the destination.

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About Visit Tampa Bay

The hip, urban heart of Florida’s Gulf coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventurous travelers to unlock our trove of unique treasures. We are a not-for-profit corporation that works with more than 800 partners to tell the world the story of Florida’s most diverse destination. Treasure awaits.