I have a friend who is leaving town this week as she is moving to California.  She recently got on with a Theatre Company out there to pursue acting full time.  She loves animals especially cats, so I figured that before she left, what better going away present to give a cat lover than a trip to Big Cat Rescue! 

Being the internet dork that that we all know I am, I always scope put a website first and see what ticket prices were looking like and just to get an overall feel for the place.  Everything looked pretty reasonable to me as there are a number of tour options at very reasonable price ranges, even for me as the pay check of an internet junkie is not all that lucrative these days!

Just as I was about to log-off, i happened to notice a link to the left that said "free stuff!"  Now you know Jerm loves his free stuff so I had to check it out and see for myself.  Wallpapers, coloring pages, ringtones, and of course my favorite...GAMES!  I grabbed a wallpaper and a ringtone and considered a coloring page, but as you can image, I am at work, so not sure i should be coloring on company time!  So now I have a bobcat wallpaper on my desktop at work, and a ringtone of Cameron the Lion (which I have assigned to my ex-girlfriend who has a similiar roar that strikes the fear of god into me).

Lots of games on here to keep you interested for hours at a time.  I paricularly can't seem to stop playing:  Dragger Puzzles, Big Cat Bingo, and Memory Match, so before you make the drive over to 12802 Easy St., I suggest logging on and playing around on the site like I did.

If her schedule permits and we make it out this week, I'll be sure to post pics for you guys.  Be sure to get out to Big Cat Rescue and tell them Jerm sent you!  Leave me a comment if you make it out there to tell me how your trip went.

p.s. Say hi to Carole for me!

Tampa, Florida was selected as a finalist to host the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 or 2016 NCAA Women’s Final Four.   Check out the success Tampa had this past April as a host here.

The other finalists were:

• Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Arena

• Dallas, American Airlines Center

• Denver, Pepsi Center

• Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium

• Nashville, Sommet Center

• New Orleans, New Orleans Arena

• San Antonio, Alamodome

• Tampa Bay, St. Pete Times Forum

The 2012-2016 sites will be announced in Mid-November.  Tampa most recently hosted the event this past April.  Other finalist cities with past Women’s Final Four hosting histories include Indianapolis (2005), New Orleans (1991, 2004), and San Antonio (2002).  Stay tuned as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission receives the results in November.  www.TampaBaySports.org .

Can Tennessee maintain as a powerhouse in Women’s Basketball and return to Tampa in the future?  Let me know what you think.

This is Josh Jones signing off!

Hello gang, Lisa here!  OK...Who is ready for football season to start?! I know I am.

On Saturday, Aug. 30 the No. 21 ranked USF Bulls will take on the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks at 7 p.m. at Raymond James Staduim. This is the first year the Bulls will open their season as a Top 25 contender...kind of a big deal! So, come to the game with your school spirit in full force and be prepared to bring home our first W.

As a former USF cheerleader, it's been really neat to watch this team become what is has. When I cheered backed in 2000, there weren't very many fans in the stands and we weren't winning too many games... Now, it's completely opposite. A full stadium really makes a difference and when you're cheering for a team who was at one point ranked No. 2, it feels pretty darn good!

Also, did you know that USF recently unveiled a new road football jersey? The re-designed jersey is part of a new deal with Under Armour that showcases cutting edge fabric technology and comfort. I thought that was pretty nifty! 

So as the season kicks-off, come support your USF Bulls! Other home games include Kansas, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, and UConn so we have all those to look forward to this year.

We have a fun, eventful and challenging season ahead of us, and your support will play a big role in the season's success! I better see you at the games. Cheers!

Since its inception in 1989, The Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) at USF, has house works by artists from the world over. They also host an Annual Juried Student Exhibition. This event always draws huge crowds as there's more art than you can shake a decapitated ear at (sorry about the bad Van Gough pun). This show, like most if not all shows at the CAM are free to the public, and free food and drinks are an added plus. Then there's the fact that the jury is made of famous contemporary art critics who make sure that the artwork you see is always exceptional.

The next exhibiton starts Aug 25, named 'Torolab: One Degree Celsius', it's a series of projects called 'Molecular Urbanism' developed by a Tijuana-based consortium of artists, architects and designers showcase their combined skills in a three part project. For a full discription of what the show is about you can visit the CAM website and while your there also check out 'Mash Up'. This is another show also begining Aug 25 and is ment to take you back in time and display the '' history of destruction as a creative force in visual art, and its resonance in the mass culture realm of popular music.''

Even if you've never been to an art show, don't fret, there is no need to be excessively formal or have any understanding of art. Just grab someone, don't bother changing or fixing your hair (most artist's look like hobo's anyway, I should know, being one) and slide on over to the CAM and get inspired. As always, slide back here and let me know how you like the artwork. Hopefully you'll get inspired to at least doodle when you have a minute to spare, and amaze yourself.

Ok, so if you live in Tampa, then I’m sure you’ve heard the hype about the Tampa Bay History Center, which is being built just steps from the St. Pete Times Forum.  And if you aren’t from Tampa, then let me tell you…on top of highlighting the some of the most spectacular moments in Tampa Bay history, this place is going to ROCK!  (Or at least be on the top of the list of Things To Do In Tampa Bay.) 

It’s going to be 4 stories and more than 60,000 square feet of head-turning, eye widening “ah-hah” moments for anyone who walked through the doors.  The new center is scheduled to be completed in December of this year, but a few of us at Tampa Bay & Company had the opportunity to take a hard-hat tour through the new location.  Once we got used to the banging, drilling, sawing and overall construction noises that you wouldn’t expect to hear on a calm, sunny August afternoon, we were in awe at how far they have come in less than a year of construction. 

Not only will the new center have meeting space for small to medium-sized groups, but it will have interactive activities for kids (and even adults if you so choose to participate), a small theater, and tons of rich, Tampa history that will amaze anyone!  And we can’t forget the Columbia Restaurant…that’s right, I said the Columbia!  They are going to open a small version of the Ybor City wonder that we all love, right inside the Center. 

After taking the tour, which I thoroughly recommend you to, I can tell you that this place encompasses everything any visitor could want or need.  From a meetings and convention venue or as an attraction, to hosting small events or just taking tours of Tampa Bay without walking outside, this place has everything. 

Come December of this year, you’ll want to make your plans to stop by this one-of-a-kind History Center, and make sure you bring your appetite, because the Columbia is going to be GREAT!  I could talk all day, but take a look at their website, www.TampaBayHistoryCenter.org, to get the full scoop, or you can even find more info at www.VisitTampaBay.com. 

Take a look and let me know what you think.  Or, if you have another place you’d like to hear about, drop a line and let me know. 

So in an effort to help all of my favorite internet travel users join in on the latest Green Initiative, here are a few tips on ways to save energy when at work or at home on your computers.  I recently sat down with Keith Bukovan, Director of IT for Tampa Bay & Company,who is undoubtedly the greatest IT minds in the building to come up with this list, and when he speaks everyone should listen! 

JF:  So Obi Wan, ooops I mean Keith, how can we all do our part with regards to daily personal computer usage and going green?

KB:  Well Jerm, one way to start is when finished working for the day and before leaving, Turn your Computer and Monitor off.

JF: Interesting...what exactly does that accomplish?

KB:  Well the first reason is an obvious one. It reduces power and cooling costs.  Computers generate a great deal of heat while operating as do LCD monitors.  At night for example, the heating/cooling in the building after 7pm is turned off.  Thus, any heat generated by computers will heat our floor and not be circulated and cooled by the system.  Winter is not such a big deal, but in Summer it helps some with the morning cool down.

JF:  Wow, didn't really know that.  I tend to always put my computer to sleep, but I guess I can start doing that now.

KB:  Yeah, its a good idea.  Second, this will increase the useful life of the computer.  Hard drives have expected lives in hours.  This is called MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure).  That is the number of expected hours on average the hard drive will typically last before it fails.  Thus, having the computer turned off 12 less hours a day makes a huge difference in the longevity of the PC, related hardware and the stress/heat on the components.

JF:  Are we doing anything else to help the environment?

KB:  Yeah actually we are!  Like, as we retire older servers, we will replace those with Green servers manufacturers are now offering to reduce greenhouse emissions.

JF:  How do initiatives like this benefit the community?

KB:  Well one great is example is how we have a business relationship with a paper and toner supplier that recycles our paper and also toner cartridges.  They are also a non-profit company.  The toner cartridges are recycled and sold, the money they then donate to a local charity for children with special needs.  So not only are we working with partners that provide recycling alternatives and are “green”, but also donate to local charitable organizations to help others.

JF:  Awesome, as this is all great information, but I did have one additional question for ya.  In the morning when I get into work it generally takes my cpu a while to boot up, any way I can speed that up?

KB:  When you first arrive at work, turn your computer, give your computer a few minutes to get situated.  It loads services and applications in the background and runs a brief virus scans at startup which causes the disk activity and processor utilization to run high.  If you have ever tried to start clicking on programs right away, it doesn’t respond well right after log in due to the nature of the operating system.  Give it a minute, get a cup of coffee!

JF:  In my case that would be Orange Juice as I am not a big coffee person, but thanks for the tip anyway.  Thanks for taking the time out Keith to sit with us and drop some knowledge.

KB:  No problem, it was my pleasure!

Alright gang, there you have it from the Suntrust Buildings top IT mind.  Keep in mind that your computer or office setting may have a different setup, and Keith's answers were specific to our office setting, but these are still darn good tips to get you going green and extend your computer life!

Got a Green computer question for me or Keith?  Maybe you need to find "green"  hotels here in the Tampa Bay Area? Feel free to drop us a comment!

Tampa Bay is growing at a faster rate than ever, with hotels popping up everywhere. Hoteliers are pushing for a January 2009 finish date in order to have their new rooms available for the 2009 Super Bowl, held at Tampa’s own Raymond James Stadium. Here are a few of the new properties that will be open in time for the Big Game:

The 122-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott Tampa Westshore was the first of the three hotels to open its doors in June of this year. This funky, fun and brightly-colored hotel has excellent rates and is centrally located, close to our International Airport, International Plaza and Bay Street and Westshore Plaza. Not to mention a full-service business center, heated outdoor pool, bar-b-que and picnic area and a 24-hour, friendly staff to assist you with all of your travel needs. This one is definitely worth checking out.
 
A 171-room Hilton Garden Inn opened its doors to the public on August 1. This modern and accommodating new hotel features a full-service, on-site restaurant, heated outdoor pool and whirlpool, state-of-the-art fitness center, complimentary wi-fi in every guest room and Garden Sleep System adjustable beds… pretty nice amenities for an affordable hotel, located right in the heart of Tampa Bay. This hotel is the perfect addition to Tampa’s hotel package.

The Homewood Suites by Hilton is the third Avion Park property that is due for completion in December, just in time for the Super Bowl. I’ll have more information on this property as we get closer to its grand opening. For more information about these three properties, visit www.mckibbon.com.


With so many new rooms popping up in town, Tampa Bay is becoming a very dynamic city with many different accommodation options for tourists and business travelers, and even residents looking for a local getaway.

Do you have any updates on new hotels, restaurants or attractions in Tampa Bay? Tell me about it, I’m always open for new topics. As always, thanks for reading and keep coming back for more Tampa Bay news.

Jerm's is back for the fourth and final installment of the online booking engine tour.  I know you all have been patiently awaiting this post and the moment you have all been waiting for is finally here!  Lets get started and end this bad boy on a good note!

As always lets start out at the home page at the Tampa Bay & Company Website.  Here is a screenshot  to help you navigate where we are.

• Be sure to make sure your on the "activities" tab on the home page.
• Pick the date you want to visit some of great activities options.  Keep in mind that you should try and pick two days out from the present date.  If you try and use the same date as the day you are booking, the system will return no results.
• Take your pick of activities, as there is so much to do here:  Attractions, Shows & Events, Tour & Activities, Dining, Outdoors, and Transportation.  Note:  Some of these are seasonal categories and may or not have availability for your dates.

Once the query populates, you will be taken to a results page that lists out your options.  On this page you will see a tab view of the options that you have to choose from based on the radio boxes you checked off on the home screen.  In this case, we selected all activities so we get so see everything.  In the interest of time however, I am only going to display the attractions page. 

As you see, Tampa has an interesting array of options to choose from.  Today, though I am going to choose the Tampa Triplett and get a little more bang for my buck!  The system didnt have available days for the day I originally selected, so it helped me out and suggested the first available day for me.  Lets continue with the reservation and on we go. 

As you can see here, I had no promotional code and everything looks good to go so lets move on to the next screen.  Okay so we have now gone through and set everything up for our trip, and its time to confirm your reservation before giving away some cash.  Make sure that everything on your form looks good to go before submittal.  Once you have all your info in, click the complete reservation button and you are all set!

As always, drop me a comment if you have trouble makign a reservation.  Until then thanks for stopping by and takign part in this series!

p.s. be sure to check out our webinar tomorrow on how to be a successful blogger! 

So, now that all of you loyal readers have seen the latest and greatest events and news, it’s time you find out a little bit more about Tampa Bay & Company.  Yes, it’s true that we lead the effort in economic development through tourism in Hillsborough County (and it’s a mighty fine tagline if I do say so myself).  And yes, it’s true that we bring in millions and millions of visitors each year that spend billions of dollars in our community. 

But, did you know that we have more than 700 community partners that work with us to achieve these goals???!!!  By working with them, we are able to do all of the great things that we do.  Well, in an effort to help each of our clients network (not to mention the general business industry in Tampa Bay), we hold Business by the Bay every month at a different partner location. 

Well, hang on to your fishing poles because this month it’s at Oystercatchers at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, one of Tampa’s finest hotels.  Here you’ll be able to network with some of the finest professional in Tampa Bay, including folks from attractions, sports venues, golf courses, hotels, restaurants and a ton more.  Truly just a Tampa Bay tour of local professionals. 

Simply just log on to www.VisitTampaBay.com/Meetings to register for this month’s event.  It’s happening next week on Thursday, August 21. 

If you are able to make it, let me know what you thought…or if you have another idea for a great networking event, or just want to throw your two cents in about our Company, drop a line!   

Gooood day readers! Reju here, with yet another dining experience to share. This time I dined at Mise En Place (pronounced Meez-ahn-plahs), a gourmet restaurant that serves modern American food.

Right off the bat you might be thinking, " Modern Gourmet Food probably means I'll have to sell my Olympic Gold medal to pay for dinner". Well that's what I thought initially, but then I discovered two facts. One was that after looking up their menus' online, I found them to be well priced around $20 a person (I mean including wine, entree, and dessert anyone?), which is actually a lot cheaper than I expected.
The second was that I wasn't an Olympic Gold medalist.

Contrary to some restaurants, the outside was understated and the inside was very tastefully designed, hinting to their birth with catering starting back in 1986 and their pride in being independently owned. In the words of Q from James Bond, "Better be smarter than you look than look smarter than you are".

Onto the food, which start to finish embodied satisfaction over gluttony. The portions were just right and my Chicken and Ravioli was singular in taste. Every main component of the dish (Chicken, Ravioli and sauce) held it's own flavor while complimenting the others. I didn't talk through the meal and that's how you know it's good.

But enough of me rambling on about it. It's not a $5 Footlong or a $100 a plate dinner with gold-leaf chicken. It's a great restaurant, famous for its food & catering, all around the bay, so if your here, check it out.

When your done impressing your friends and family with your impressive choice in restaurants, come back here and let me know what you had and how you liked it. 

p.s. Be sure to tell Mary Ann I said hello!
                             

Whew! Okay, so if you’re wondering why I haven’t posted anything in a couple of weeks, it’s because I’ve been very busy working on convention sales client events. The convention sales team has been traveling the country over the past few weeks, from Washington, DC to San Diego and even Las Vegas! Take a look at the what’s going on in our neck of the woods:

DC Sales Mission – On August 5, 6 and 7, Paul Catoe, Tammy Lamm, Dori Laack, Susan Williams and our DC Rep, Suz Cavanaugh, along with hotel and attraction partners, held three hosted luncheons in the DC area, with over 150 meeting planners in attendance. This event is an annual occurrence and helps to garner exposure for the Tampa Bay area to meeting planners that book large conventions all over the world. Attendees also got the chance to enter their names in a drawing for lots of valuable prizes from Busch Gardens tickets to Bay area restaurant and spa gift certificates.

MPI WEC – The Meeting Professionals International (MPI) World Education Congress (WEC) is an annual convention that is attended by professional meeting and event planners from all over the country. Tampa Bay & Company convention sales team members, Norwood Smith, Jennifer Friday and Joe Planz, along with hotel and attraction partners attended this conference from August 10-12 in Las Vegas. Our company had a large booth set up at the convention for extra exposure to all attendees, and in order to get extra face-time with the attendees, a Tini’s with Tampa networking event was held on the opening night, with over 275 RSVPs from WEC attendees. This event was a huge success and we were able to meet many new planners who are interested in bringing business to Tampa Bay.

ASAE – The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting & Exposition is being held in San Diego on August 16-19. Tammy Lamm, Alex Kaptzan and Jeff Gassaway, along with hotel and attraction partners, will attend this annual expo and will also have a large booth set up in the exhibit hall in order to meet the many prominent executives and directors of nationals associations that will attend the convention. A Tini’s with Tampa networking event will also be held on the opening night and more than 90 executives has RSVP'd so far. It is sure to be a very successful event!

As you can see, it’s been quite a busy summer for the convention sales team at Tampa Bay & Company! We are working hard to keep Tampa Bay on the list of premier places to hold meetings and conventions, and we continue to stimulate economic growth through tourism.

Have you had a busy summer as well? Tell me about what you’ve been up to in the Tampa Bay area. Also, feel free to tell me what you would like to know more about. I’d be happy to do research and post an answer to any question you may have.

As always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!

That's right folks, I'm on the road again. This week I'm headed to the south end of the Tampa Bay area, Manatee County for a quarterly Film Florida meeting. Film commissioners and industry professionals who belong to the Film Florida organization will converge on Manatee County for three days of meetings, workshops and networking.

The calendar includes marketing brainstorming sessions, tradeshow updates and a legislative think-tank, designed to help us earn back some of film incentive that was cut from this year's legislative budget.

I'll be back next week...hopefully with new ideas for marketing the Tampa Bay Film Commission as one of Florida's leaders and with a complete list of all the winners from Friday's 48 Hour Film Project awards party at Nova 535. It was a terrific party with a huge turnout. Coco and Kerri Bermudez deserve a HUGE round of applause for their accomplishments with this year's project.

Hi Everyone! 

Have you wanted to start your own business blog, but just wasn’t sure how to go about doing it?  Have you ever wondered what the true return on investment is for your blogging efforts or wondered what research and pitfalls are in store? 

Well, we’ve been through it and here’s your chance to tune in and listen to us talk about the success that Tampa Bay & Company has seen since we starting blogging in April – and believe me, thanks to you guys, we have seen some great success!

On Thursday (yes, that's Thursday of THIS week), the folks from Compendium Blogware , along with Jeremy from the Interactive Blog and Travis from the Tampa Bay PR blog (yes, that’s the one you are reading now) will give you the ins and outs of running a successful blog.  Just click here, to register and listen in.

We’ll take you on a Tampa Bay Blog tour and show you what has worked for us, and even some of the things that haven’t worked so well.  From blogs on Tampa Bay film and events to meetings, sports and attractions, you’ll see how we have gone full steam ahead with the Tampa Bay & Company Blogs.

Then, you’ll even get a chance to ask questions about what’s going on with your blog, or any other questions you want to ask (please…let’s keep it G-rated for the all of the kids tuning in).

It’s already looking to be a big crowd on this “webinar,” so go on and register now!  Then, come back and let us know what you thought…or if you have some suggestions for ways we could do things better on here. 

With promotions in place for the ACC Football Championship as well as up to the minute updates on tickets and events surrounding the game, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission has formed a committee to spearhead online promotions through social outlets. 

The Millennial Advisory Committee consisting of “under 30” business professionals in the bay area has already begun to make a huge impact and looks to increase the volume of traffic to various networking sites.  Ranging from MySpace and Facebook to Twitter and YouTube, sites are being used to target the Generation Y audience utilizing videos, slideshows, fight songs, and online contests.  With friends and fans ranging from the local Tampa Bay area to all twelve geographic locations that make up the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ability to obtain information is at the touch of your fingertips. 

Visit the different sites created by the ACC Football Championship’s Millennial Advisory Committee by clicking the links listed below:

So, what's on your agenda for this weekend? If you're free on Saturday and you're in Tampa, you're going to want to be spending your evening at the Ford Amphitheatre.

One of my favorite bands will be performing live and you're not going to want to miss it. Rascal Flatts is back and ready to rock out Tampa Bay! Dubbed as one of country music's hottest groups, this show is sure to be a sellout so hurry on up and purchase your tickets ASAP. After the show, be sure to stop by the Dallas Bull for the official after party! I hope y'all enjoy!

But wait...just two short weeks after Rascal Flatts makes their pit stop in Tampa, John Mayer takes the stage at the Ford Amphitheatre also! I sat fourth row last year...it was amazing! John Mayer gets the crowd pumped up liked no other! 

So in a matter of two weeks, you can rock out with country music stars Rascal Flatts or jam out with John Mayer. It doesn't get any better than that! I'm bound to see you at one of these shows, so get your tickets and be sure to post a comment after the show!
Cheers!

When she is not making fun of me for being a Detroit Lions fan, our in-house Bucs fanatic, Jennifer Friday is constantly reminding me that the season is right around the corner. She often raves about the awesome features on their website so I figured I'd go check it out and see what all the fuss was about!

In preparation for the upcoming football season, our friends over at One Buc Place have done a fantastic job in tweaking their website to keep fans up-to-date on the latest happenings and goings on throughout training camp as the they prepare for the upcoming season. 

There's a ton of cool features here to keep you staring at your computer screen for hours at a time.  I know this because as I should be preparing for a meeting, I am playing the Buccaneer Field Goal Challenge.  I figured I would try and give Matt Bryant a run for his money this year...okay maybe not but its still a fun feature!  If that isn't too your liking there are plenty of other things to keep you occupied when truthfully, you should be at your desk working (if you are reading this on company time:)

• Weekly Podcast Radio Shows
• Buccaneer E-Cards
• Training Camp and Season Video Updates
• Discussion Boards
• Buccaneer Cheer Game
• Fan Promotions
• Desktop Fun
• And Much More

So log on to www.buccaneers.com (make sure your boss isn't isn't looking) and check out all the cool features.  Don't forget to purchase your single season game tickets as they go on sale tomorrow also!  For the fans of visiting teams, also check out our Hot Deals pages for out of towner hotel specials.

Got a favorite Bucs moment?  Send me a comment and tell Jerm all about it!

The 48 Hour Film Project has wrapped production in Tampa and what's the best way to celebrate? A WRAP PARTY, of course! Join the organizers of the 48 Hour Film Project on Friday, August 8th from 7-11pm at NOVA 535 in Saint Petersburg to celebrate the best in Tampa Bay Film!

Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
 
Best Costumes
Best Choreography
Best Sound Design
Best Graphics or FX
Best Use of Character
Best Use of Prop
Best Use of Dialogue
Best Musical Score
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Female Actress
Best Male Actor
Best Writing
Best Directing
Audience Award Winners Screening A & B
Best Film of 2008

There is no cover for this event (although food and drink will be for sale) and if you haven't checked out Nova 535 yet, you're crazy! It's definitely one of the coolest spots in Tampa Bay!

The top 3 nominated films will be shown in their entirety as well as clips of other nominated films. Let’s make it a spectacular night to bring this great event to a close for 2008! Come celebrate Tampa Bay Film!

Questions about the event should be directed to your friendly city producers, Coco and Kerri, at coco@48hourfilm.com or kerri@48hourfilm.com.

That's a wrap!

Hey gang!  We’re back with more great updates and news about the Tampa Bay area!  If you are anything like me, then you do a lot of flying - as much for pleasure as for business.  As everyone can attest to these days, it’s getting more and more expensive to take these trips!  Well, Tampa Bay & Company has teamed up with Southwest Airlines to make it even easier to get to Tampa Bay and experience this great destination.

Tampa Bay will be a “Featured Destination” on Southwest.com from August 19-25!  I know what you are saying – the Tampa Bay area is always a featured destination…well, now we get to prove it!  If you log on to www.Southwest.com you will find great rates to fly to Tampa, but that’s just the beginning!  You will also find amazing deals on hotels in the area, not to mention an outline of attractions, events, sports activities, dining options, and other “only-in Tampa” things to do, see and experience during your tour of Tampa Bay. 
 
So, starting August 19, log on and plan you trip to Tampa.  Don’t forget to check back and let us know how your trip was.  Or, if you have already explored Tampa Bay, let us know what you thought, and what your favorite parts were! 

Until next time, keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars!  (Sorry, I had to put the Casey Kasem for all those 80’s fans out there!).

Darn I am late again with this post aren't I!  Part three of the "At Your Service" series is all about the airfare!  So in case you don't want to rent a car and make that long drive from Chicago, New Jersey, Ohio, or wherever it is you hail from, then let Jerm show you the way! 

Booking airfare on our website is pretty much the same simple process as the previous two tabs.  So let's start from the home page of course as we always do.  First off, make sure that you are on the "Flights" tab on the booking engine.  The next set of options can be a bit tricky so let me go through them with you:

• Exact Dates - Pretty simple here, as these are the e exact dates you would want to travel.  The radio button next to that means if you don't know the exact dates, then give it a range of 1-3 days.
• From - The Airport you are departing from.
• Depart Date - The Date you are leaving.
• Return Date - The date you are coming back home.
• Return Time - Try and specify which time of day you would like to arrive from your trip.
• Adults, Seniors, Children - Lastly, be sure to specify who is traveling with you on your trip.
• Search:  Do I really need to explain this!

So once you hit the search button, give a few seconds to populate your results.  You should now see a page with all of the relevant flights for your suggested dates and times with pricing options.  If you feel like you made an error somewhere in the search, feel free to hit the "change your search" button and move some things around.  This page of results can get pretty lengthy, so if you need to see more check the bottom of the page if you need to see more flights.

Be sure to review the trip summary as well as pricing for your trip and all information you entered before moving forward with your purchase.  If you have an email address that you check regularly then I would suggest getting and confirmation of your electronic ticket just to be safe.  After that, then its time to open up the wallet and whip out the credit card to pay for your purchase. 

I should also mention that during the final step of the booking process you do have the option to pick your seats, based on the availability at that time.

Well folks that's pretty much it, so get to booking as its gorgeous this time of year in Tampa Bay!  As always leave me feedback if you have trouble or experience issues when booking your flight.

Hello there travel blog enthusiasts, Jerm here for an interactive update.  Take a few seconds and browse around on the page...notice anything different?  Well if not, then I will be sure to recommend you to a great optometrist to get those peepers fixed.  If you did happen to notice what I am so excited about, then lets put a rose on your nose!

Surprise!!!  We updated the look and feel of the Tampa Bay & Company blog site to make it a bit more visually appealing.  This new look and feel is representative of what your "experience" in Tampa Bay will be like once we get you booked and on your way to see us.

So whether you want the scoop on Tampa Bay meetings & conventions, hotels, attractions, or just looking to improve your golf game, keeping checking us out and leaving feedback.

Log on and browse around and don't forget to give me your feedback on the new look.