Visit Sarasota hopes new office will attract visitors

Karen Gallagher has honed her strategy for helping tourists in the Visit Sarasota County visitors center: Find out if they want to talk; find out how long they are staying; and then find out what they are interested in doing.

And the full-time staff member will likely have the chance to develop her skill set even more after Visit Sarasota opened Nov. 1 in a more visible location at 14 Lemon Ave. The center now welcomes about 75 people per day, more on Saturdays, both residents and tourists.

Gallagher, one of the full-time staff members at the center, has been adjusting to the new location after working eight years in the historic Chidsey Library building. The visitors center’s former location on North Tamiami Trail was somewhat hidden, and the organization shared the space with the History Center museum.

“It’s a change,” Gallagher said. “We’re taking it day by day.”

The downtown space is smaller than the Chidsey Library. But the advantage of the new space is location, location, location. Placed near restaurants, condos and stores, along with the Sarasota Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the center is piquing interest from visitors and residents alike, Gallagher said.

“We’re capturing people already down here,” Gallagher said.

The new center is run by volunteers and at least one staff member from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; on Dec. 1, the center will add Sunday hours from noon to 4 p.m.

The center is not quite complete: A TV screen will be installed in the near future. IPads will also be set into the walls around the room for visitors’ general use. The walls are lined with more than 200 brochures on everything from running trails to beach weddings.

“If you’re looking for something to do and you can’t find something here, it’s your fault,” Gallagher said with a laugh.

TOURISM FORECAST
The visitors center is just one example of Visit Sarasota County President Virginia Haley’s vision for the organization — to constantly look for new ideas and innovations to put Sarasota County on the map.
Haley gave a presentation on the past year’s tourism numbers and an outlook on the coming season Monday, at Der Dutchman. Her message about marketing and tourism? Complacency is not a winning attitude.

“We cannot be happy with what we’ve been doing. … You have to stay ahead of the competition,” she said.

Sarasota had a record year from September 2013 to September 2014, rising above the state in several categories, including percentage increase in visitors and average hotel occupancy. Sarasota was even a trending term among U.S. destinations on Google.

Despite this year’s successes, though, Haley reminded the audience to always push for new strategies and new ideas.

“It’s an ongoing effort,” she said. “Preach the value of tourism marketing. It doesn’t happen on its own.”

BY THE NUMBERS
929,000 - estimated number of visitors to Sarasota in FY 2014, a 5.2% increase over FY 2013

$161.32 - average daily rate at Sarasota County hotels over the past year, up 7.7%

3% - increase in visitors predicted for FY 2015

74% - average hotel occupancy in FY 2014, up 3.8%