Visit Pensacola Set to Lead Virtual National Travel and Tourism Week Celebration May 3-9

Media Contact:

Nicole Stacey
Visit Pensacola
(850) 434-2142
nstacey@visitpensacola.com

Pensacola, Fla. – National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with this year's theme: The Spirit of Travel.

Now more than ever, the travel and tourism community must come together, support each other and remind our country that even through the most challenging times, the Spirit of Travel cannot be broken.

"Although we can't meet in person, we can stay connected, unified and supportive of each other from afar, rallying around the Spirit of Travel," Visit Pensacola President Darien Schaefer said. "Communities benefit from the Spirit of Travel, which permeates through small businesses, unique landmarks, and all those who welcome residents and visitors alike with a smile and hospitality. It's hard to imagine Pensacola without restaurants, hotels, and attractions. Now is the time to lean in and rally together for a stronger future."

Visit Pensacola is inviting the industry and the community to participate in the following events and ongoing campaigns.

Daily Promotional Contests
Visit Pensacola has partnered with local media stations to give away 10 $100 gift cards to local restaurants. Tune in to WEAR-TV Channel 3 at 6 a.m. and Cat Country 98.7 at 8:20 a.m. Monday, May 5 – Friday, May 8, for daily contests and further details. The grand prize on both stations is a Visit Pensacola Staycation and will be announced Friday, May 8, on Cat Country 98.7 and Monday, May 11, on WEAR-TV Channel 3.

Social Media Campaigns

  • Visit Pensacola will have temporary Facebook profile frames available for use as well as cover photo images. We invite the public to use them.
  • Members of the community are invited to share stories on social media of who their #HospitalityHero is and why they embody the #SpiritOfTravel all week long, we're looking to share positive industry stories.
  • Visit Pensacola continues to invite the community to order takeout from local restaurants and share their photos on social media to show support with the hashtag #HelpOutTakeOut to view restaurants offerings, click here.

Monday, May 4: Special Visit Pensacola Kickoff

Tuesday, May 5: Virtual Road Trip, 7 a.m.
Visit Pensacola would like to invite the community to join in on a #VirtualRoadTrip via social media, highlighting Pensacola's restaurants, hotels, small businesses, parks, attractions, and more that make up America's #SpiritOfTravel to celebrate the week. Join us on Visit Pensacola's Facebook page.

Wednesday, May 6: Virtual Conference, 10 a.m.
Visit Pensacola will host a virtual marketing trends conference. To register, click here. The schedule is as followed:

  • 10 a.m. Visit Florida, Dana Young, President/CEO
    VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Dana Young will be discussing the effects of COVID-19 on Florida’s economy, how the state’s tourism industry has been impacted, and insights on VISIT FLORIDA's phased marketing approach to help Florida's tourism industry recover.
  • 10:30 a.m. CrowdRiff, Amrita Gurney, VP Marketing
    Using social media in new ways to reach customers during the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 crisis has been particularly hard on SMBs. Learn how to use Instagram and FB in new ways to reach customers both locally and from afar. In this presentation, we'll share examples of how other SMBs are using social media and creativity to reach customers and drive revenue.
  • 11 a.m. Showcase Pensacola
    Marketing Trends Report & COVID-19 Recovery Tactics. Showcase Pensacola will discuss market trends and insights given the current climate, as well as a detailed review of Visit Pensacola's rollout to the recovery plan. This will include specifics on research, targeting, tactics, messaging, and creative.

Thursday, May 7: Coffee with the President, 8:30 a.m.
Visit Pensacola is excited to host the inaugural coffee with a president Q&A with President Darien Schaefer. Members of the community are invited to participate virtually and can register here. Feel free to submit your questions early to Leslie White at lwhite@visitpensacola.com.

Friday, May 8: Toast to the Industry, 7 p.m.
Visit Pensacola will host a virtual toast to the industry on Friday, May 8. Please join us at approximately 7 p.m. on Facebook Live for a special sunset toast (weather pending).

To learn more about National Travel and Tourism Week, click here or visit ustravel.org/NTTW.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola is the destination management organization for Escambia County which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 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.