FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nicole Stacey, Visit Pensacola | nstacey@visitpensacola.com 

Pensacola, Fla. – On Wednesday, Visit Pensacola welcomed members of the community and tourism industry professionals to its 10th Annual Meeting. Marking the beginning of a new fiscal year, Visit Pensacola and company thanked the outgoing FY 2024 board of directors, voted, and welcomed in the FY 2025 board of directors, and celebrated industry successes from the past decade.

"Celebrating a decade of Visit Pensacola, we’re reminded of how tourism fuels our community's growth and vibrancy. This past year has been a testament to what we can accomplish together, from new milestones in visitation to initiatives that keep Pensacola a destination of choice,” President and CEO Darien Schaefer said. “Our successes in FY24 demonstrate that tourism truly works for Pensacola — it enhances our economy, creates jobs, and elevates the experiences of both our residents and guests. We’re deeply grateful to our community, partners, and supporters who continue to believe in and contribute to this vision. Together, we’re creating a bright future for the next ten years and beyond."

Fiscal Year 2024 By the Numbers

• $22,023,172 in tourism tax development collections, an increase of 2.04%
• Welcomed over 2 million visitors to Escambia County
• The Visit Pensacola team shared The Way to Beach™ in front of over 45 markets garnering more than 360 million impressions
• Garnered 61 new community partners, generated 463 pieces of social content, attracted over 863,000 partner listing views, and completed over 2,200 partner assists
•Over 3.8 million people used visitpensacola.com
•Received 212 combined print, online, broadcast, and social features that generated $194 million in earned media
•Gained over 69,000 new social media followers, an increase of 18%
•Generated over $111 million in group sales bookings
•Welcomed over 42,000 to the visitor information centers

Continuing the momentum, incoming Board Chair Sid Williams-Heath remarked on his goals and vision for the year.

"As we step into Visit Pensacola’s next chapter, I’m honored to work alongside a passionate team dedicated to showcasing and enriching this incredible community. The ten-year mark isn’t just a celebration of past successes — it’s an opportunity to envision what’s next for Pensacola and to strengthen the role of tourism and The Way to Beach™ in our growth. With the unwavering support of our community and partners, I’m confident that we’ll continue to create meaningful experiences and memories that both residents and visitors treasure for years to come."


Serving with Williams-Heath for the 2025 fiscal year will be:

• Sid Williams-Heath, Chair, Arts/Culture/History - The Clark Family Cultural Center
• Capt. Sterling Gilliam, USM (ret), Vice-Chair, Attractions/Retail/Events – National Naval Aviation Museum
• Darpan “Dae” Patel, Treasurer, Lodging/Mainland West – Rameshwar Hospitality, Pine Forest Hospitality
• Terry Branch, Secretary, Pensacola Beach Lodging – Hilton Pensacola Beach
• Greg Harris, Sports/Recreation – Pensacola Ice Flyers
• Ali Green, At Large – University of West Florida
• Maria Goldberg, Dining/Entertainment – Great Southern Restaurant Group
• Brady Hale, At Large – Ocean Strike Team
• Yash Patel, Lodging/Downtown/Airport – Pinnacle Management & Investments
• Robin Reshard, At Large – Kukua Institute
• Christina Sasser, Lodging/Perdido Key – Southern Vacation Rental

Visit Pensacola would like to extend a special note of gratitude to its outgoing board chair Rachael Gillette and the board members who have served alongside her.

For a full look at the past year, watch the video here. For pictures from this year’s annual meeting, tap here. For more information on how Tourism Works for Pensacola, visit www.visitpensacola.org.

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About Visit Pensacola
Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. With over 460 years of rich history and nearly 40 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration, and communication.