Photo: The Rim Canal, Lake Okeechobee
Source: highlandstoday.com
Florida’s Freshwater Frontier Inc. is sponsoring the 2009 regional tourism summit called “Growing Tourism in South Central Florida.”
The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at the Lake Placid Camp and Conference Center, 2665 Placid View Drive.
The cost is $25 per person and includes lunch and materials
Registration will continue through Friday, Sept. 11.
The summit will focus on ways rural communities and businesses can partner together to strengthen the tourism industry in this region. Session topics will cover a wide array of issues which impact tourism including diversification, customer service, print and electronic marketing, social media (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, blogs), new business opportunities, and leveraging dollars through grants and partnerships.
“We’ve planned a full day packed with presentations, interactive discussions and best practice sharing,” said Michelle Phillips, tourism coordinator for Florida’s Freshwater Frontier. “Our region’s tourism practitioners already know the importance of attracting visitors. This summit is providing a platform for learning best practices, hot tips to target today’s travelers and how to put tools and resources to best use, like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.”
Guest trainers include Sebring’s Casey Wohl, published author of the Girls Getaway Guide series. These city-specific travel guides for women provide information on where to eat, stay, shop and spa in various cities. She has been featured on several nationally-syndicated morning shows as a travel advisor, as well as in Woman’s Day and Parenting magazines.
Wohl recently served as an online spokesperson for Dove Beauty and is the owner of Gray Dog Communications in Sebring.
Erin Freel Best is the owner of her own marketing and communications firm that specializes in Web design, video production and a host of other consulting services. Since its inception in 2000, The Market Placehasmore than100 clients, primarily in Florida, but also maintains national accounts in Georgia, Texas and Minnesota.
Best started her career as the marketing and promotions director for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, after graduating from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida.
Judi Durant, is the director of visitor services for the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB), also known to vacationers worldwide as The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.
Her team is comprised of a tourism ambassador volunteer and staff corps that provide information to visitors and the traveling public. She oversees coordination of Team Tourism, the VCB’s year-round informational program to impart the latest information on market opportunities and travel trends to local tourism marketers. She is also responsible for the Guests First Customer Service Training Program and the Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards, known as the E Awards.
Sandra Friend is the former communications director for the Florida Trails Association. During her employ, Sandra conceptualized both the Florida Trail Gateway Communities program and the first-ever Florida Hiking Festival, held in White Springs in March 2008, and supported major hiking initiatives statewide via a variety of creative media. She has a degree in information science from the University of Pittsburgh.
John Scherlacher, the director of tourism for Highlands County Visitor and Convention Bureau, is leading a presentation called “Don’t Just Cry… It’s Time To Diversify!” It is a “no whine” approach to doing more with less in an ever-changing travel market.
For more information, call Michelle Phillips at 385-7828 or 800-467-4540 or e-mail [email protected].
