PUBLIC RELATIONS
May 2009
David Downing
Assistant Director
MEDIA VISITS, TRADE SHOWS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Oktogon Television - Germany – May 1-3
As a direct result of the German Media Mission we participated in with Walt Disney World and
the Orlando CVB in November of 2008, Mr. Juergen Fritsch (producer) & Ms. Sabrina Walcher
(production assistant) came to the St. Pete/Clearwater area to feature it on this popular public
television station. Islands End Resort was gracious in hosting this talented duo, which made
their way through the area in record time. Tarpon Springs was the focus point of the feature, but
the production team soon discovered the beauty of Clearwater Beach and spent the remainder of
the day filming there. They also fell in love with St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille. Mr. Fritsch
is producing two five minute pieces on the destination which will run www.kaffee-oder-tee.de.
A 30 minute feature will also be highlighted on www.reiseclip.tv.
Jerry Dilsaver - Charlotte News Observer – May 3-7
Senior PR Manager, Mary Haban joined Outdoors fishing writer Jerry Dilsaver for an early
morning assignment: wade fishing near the Redington Pier. Jerry’s mission was to write a
destination fishing article for the Raleigh News & Observer and he managed to try all sorts of
fishing from kayak, to snook and more. Our destination will also take center stage in his
outdoors column which appears in several South Carolina newspapers. And thanks to the folks
at the Sunset Vistas Beachfront Suites, who hosted him, his stay was nothing short of
spectacular.
National Tourism Week Luncheon – May 8
Industry members converged on Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club to support the number one
economic driver to Pinellas County: Tourism. The luncheon, organized by the VSPC staff,
featured keynotes from Mr. Prem Devadas of Salamander Hospitality, and Mr. Ponder Harrison
of Allegiant Airlines.
Angela Palmieri – Dolce Magazine, Canada – May 6-13
This talented food, beauty and travel editor came to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area as a
direct result of our relationship with the Visit Florida Canadian office. Dolce Magazine
launched in 2003 and is geared toward sophisticated readers across Canada and covers the
people, lifestyles and looks that define upscale modern Canadian living. Topics include fashion,
beauty, entertainment, auto trends, home decor, food, home, career, travel, fitness, health, family
and weddings. Circulation is 50,000. www.dolce.ca. A special thanks to the Don CeSar Beach
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Resort, A Loews Hotel, who hosted Ms. Palmeri and her 6 month old baby. The focus of the
story was luxury escapes for young couples with babies.
Virgin Holiday Photo Team, UK – May 16-17
The Brand Management team at Virgin Holidays came to the area to update their stock filler
imagery and bring the brand that is Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater to life through all their
communications. From beaches, to boating, to lifestyle, to art and culture, to outdoors, the two-
day visit to the area, proved to be the perfect way to update Virgin’s image library.
POW WOW Show & Media Marketplace, Miami, Florida – May 16-20
VSPC’s Assistant Director, David Downing and Senior PR Manager, Mary Haban, joined DT
Minich, Rosemarie Payne and representatives from our UK and German Sales offices at one of
the largest appointment and media shows around – POW WOW. This was a prime opportunity
to meet face to face with the partners who bring a bulk of business to the destination. It also
provided the opportunity to meet with several top delegations (UK, Germany, South American,
and Canadian) and network with top-tier national and international media.
Mark Taylor – Outdoors Writer – Roanoke Times – May 18
Mark Taylor, outdoors editor of the Roanoke Times (Circ 100,000), made a quick stop in the
area to fish; and write a story about his experience. He is planning a feature on how freshwater
anglers (his readers) can fish the salt affordably by wade fishing.
Alberto Sanchez Lavalle – Ladevi - May 23-26
Just as South America continues to grow as an important travel market, one of the leading
editors Mr. Alberto Sanchez Lavalle made a three-day visit to the Clearwater area. He is the
Editorial Director of Ladevi . . . . one of the two most-important industry pubs in Argentina.
Thanks to the Marriott Suites Sand Key on Clearwater Beach for hosting him.
Chad Oliver Visit – Reporter with NBC 2 in Ft. Myers – May 28
This story came as the result of a pitch to Visit Florida. Chad Oliver with NBC-2 in Ft. Myers
came to the area to film a segment on Tarpon Springs for “One Tank Trips.”
MEDIA ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:
Media efforts will be compiled every other month.
ASSISTING VISIT FLORIDA:
May 5 - Draft and send pitch for Visit Florida blog opportunity on budget-friendly attractions.
May 6 – Worked with Visit Florida & Mile Media to help get Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club’s
new spa – Indaba – listed on their website.
May 18 – Draft pitch for Visit Florida blog opportunity on spa deals in the area featuring
Innisbrook’s Indaba Spa.
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May 21 – Compose and send pitch for Visit Florida quick lead on “One Tank Trips” for NBC2
in Ft. Myers.
ASSISTING THE INDUSTRY & THE CVB & OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS:
May 4 – Presented the budget to the industry in the budget workshop.
May 6 – Assisted Ramona Hurley of Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club with contact information at
Visit Florida to get their new spa – Indaba – listed on VF’s website.
May 12 – Attend local tourism rally at Tampa International Airport; take photos.
May 12 – Host the Public Relations Society of America (Tampa Bay Chapter’s) Professional
Development Day.
May 13 – Assist the CVB’s Leisure Travel Department with correspondence to send to industry
partners.
May 14 - Attend Clearwater Threshers game with Gerri Raymond of the Clearwater Chamber
and a group of travel writers to help promote and showcase the area.
May 14 – Attended the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the Sirata
Beach Resort & Conference Center.
May 15 - VSPC’s PR Team participated in the Pinellas County Employee Appreciation Day
which was held at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club.
May 21 – Proofread “Kick Off Your Summer Beach Vacation” e-newsletter for the CVB’s
Internet Marketing Department.
May 26 – Assisted Anita Treiser and Gerri Raymond with the Clearwater Regional Chamber of
Commerce with a photo of a beach wedding so they can provide to media on their press trip.
SOCIAL MEDIA INITIATIVES:
VSPC’S PR Team continues to monitor and post on the recently launched FaceBook, Twitter
and YouTube pages to promote the destination in cyberspace.
VSPC’s PR Team continues to update the Cleanpix on-line image library for our media.
Continue monitoring and tracking news coverage in Cision on a daily basis, forwarding coverage
of stories to industry partners.
Do extensive research on handheld video cameras in the hopes of getting one in the future to
more effectively and visually promote the destination online.
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Continue to upload press releases to the site.
PRESS RELEASES & E-NEWS & INDUSTRY ALERTS:
May 1 – Press Release entitled “Dali Look-Alike, Video Competitions Highlight Worldwide
Contest: Art Party, Awards Ceremony Celebrate the Artist’s 105th Birthday” was sent to media.
May 1 – Industry Update: National Tourism Luncheon Reminder.
May 5 – Distributed another edition of e-news to the industry.
May 6 – Industry Update sent: Swine Flu communications.
May 11 – Industry Update Sent: Tourism Day Rally Reminder.
May 12 – Industry Update: Provide a recap of rally to the industry.
May 13 – Industry Update: TDC Recap from 5/13/09 Meeting.
May 18 – Press Release “BIG EAST Baseball Championship Returns to Clearwater: Bright
House Field Set to Host Annual Eight-Team College Tournament,” was sent to media.
May 27 - Press Release “TripAdvisor Names Two Area Beaches Best of 2009: Fort De Soto
Nabs Top Spot Second Year Running; Honeymoon Island Makes Top Ten; was sent to local,
national and international media.
May 27 – Industry Update: Hurricane Season Reminder.
UK PR Firm and German Media Activities:
Please refer to separate reports from each office.
Outdoor/Nature PR Activities: May 2009
Bill AuCoin & Associates, Inc.
• Interviewed by Jim Ferguson, host of Great American Outdoor Trails radio network,
about snook fishing and birding in the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area. The six minute
interview was scheduled to broadcast on Saturday May 30 and succeeding days on 89
radio stations with a combined weekly listening audience of an estimated 4 million in the
states of Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
• Hosted freelance writer Jerry Dilsaver of South Carolina for three days of inshore fishing.
Jerry plans to write several articles about it, including a major piece in the Raleigh (NC)
News & Observer, which has a weekday circulation of 175,000. He has already published
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one positive article about the Clearwater-St. Petersburg area in the Southport, N.C. State
Port Pilot newspaper.
• Hosted Mark Taylor, Outdoors Editor, The Roanoke Times, for a (rainy) day of wade
fishing on May 18. Mark wrote about it in his newspaper blog, The Wild Life, and will
publish an article about the expedition soon. The Roanoke Times has a circulation of
100,000. Mark indicated he would mention the affordable flights on Allegiant Airlines to
St. Petersburg from Roanoke. He also said he would like to return, perhaps in the fall, to
write another fishing article.
• Helped arrange a visit in June by Jim Sutton, Outdoors Editor, Jacksonville Times-
Union. This is a Sutton family vacation trip but Jim wants to include a half-day of guided
wade-fishing for a possible article in the Times-Union, which has a circulation of about
200,000.
UPCOMING MEDIA VISITS - TRADE SHOWS - PRESS GROUPS:
1 – North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) – June 1-5
2 – Florida Association of Convention & Visitor Bureau’s (FACVB) – June 3-5
3 – Society of American Travel Writer’s (SATW) Media Marketplace – June 7-10
4 – Public Relations Society of America Sunshine District Meeting – June 18-19
5 – Southern Living Photo Shoot – June 22-26
6 – Visit Florida UK Press Trip (Virgin Holidays) with Space Coast CVB – June 26-30
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