Visit Sarasota County to relocate to Chamber of Commerce building

Sarasota’s tourism bureau is moving to a new home.

Visit Sarasota County will be relocating its downtown Sarasota visitor center to within the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce building at 1945 Fruitville Road.

The visitor center, currently located at 1710 Main Street, will close Friday, Aug. 18. The new location is expected to open no later than October 1, 2017.

According to a release from VSC, the organization had spent several years trying to find an optimal location for visitors. The available space in the chamber’s office as well as a location near the intersection of two major Sarasota roads, Fruitville and Route 301, were major factors in the relocation, the release said.

“Relocating a visitor center to the chamber allows us to explore new and exciting ways to promote our community, its chamber, and its membership,” said Sarasota Chamber of Commerce President Kevin Cooper.

The moving process will not impact VSC’s services, which include visitor kiosks and promotional programming. VSC will continue to partner with other local county chambers of commerce, including those in Longboat Key and siesta Key.  

During this time, VSC will also maintain a welcome center desk at The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota, the Visitor Information Vehicle that travels throughout the county attending tourism events and the World Rowing Championships at Nathan Benderson Park.