Marketing awards

VISIT TAMPA BAY EARNS TOURISM INDUSTRY HONORS FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE

DMO Brings Home a Record 11 Adrian Awards for Best-in-Class Campaigns in Domestic and International Markets

Tampa, FL (February 19, 2026) – Visit Tampa Bay’s marketing efforts were recognized as some of the best in the travel and tourism industry after earning 11 prestigious Adrian Awards during the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) 69th annual Adrian Awards ceremony last night in New York City.

Aligned with this year’s theme of "The Exceptional Experience", Visit Tampa Bay’s dedication to appealing to discerning domestic and international travelers earned recognition across a host of categories, including a Gold Award in the Special Event Category for its innovative partnership with the 2025 London Art Fair which cemented Tampa Bay’s reputation as an international hub for adventurers seeking vibrant creativity.

“For nearly seven decades, the Adrian Awards have been a benchmark of excellence for travel marketing professionals,” said Santiago C. Corrada, President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “This latest set of accolades from HSMAI add to Visit Tampa Bay’s strong reputation as a standard bearer across the hospitality and destination marketing industries.”

HSMAI’s Adrian Awards are considered the premier recognition for travel marketing and public relations excellence. This year’s awards span more than seventy categories including advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaign categories, along with trending categories for Artificial Intelligence.

Visit Tampa Bay’s additional accolades include Silver Awards in the B2B/Trade Category for the Meeting the Moment Campaign, in the Special Event category for local artist Dylan Perry’s Tampa Bay-inspired creative foray in two European cities, and in the Audio Only category for the groundbreaking Doggone Summer pet-influencer social media campaign. Bronze Awards were also earned for:

Go Karton Campaign (Sustainable Trade Show Participation)
Social Media: Hospitality Heroes Series (Spotlighting Local Hospitality Workers)
Affiliate Marketing: Expedia Ambassador Program
Reputation Management: Resilient Campaign
Website: Make It Tampa Bay (Job Talent Attraction)
B2B Category: Corporate Transient
Special Event: Breakaway Festival (with Madden Media)

ABOUT VISIT TAMPA BAY

The heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventure with a relaxing vibe to create vacation experiences that are authentically Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit corporation certified by Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), we work with hundreds of partners to tell the world the story of Tampa Bay. Treasure awaits. For more information, visit our website.