So, lets say for instance you came to Tampa on vacation or for a meeting and wanted to stop by our retail center in Channelside to pick up a few souvenir items. Ya know, so you can take something back to the family as a memento. Somehow, though you had a brainfart (as I often do) and realize that your plane is leaving in an hour and you have to hightail it to the airport!

Well have no fear... the online retail store is here! Today is the official launch of our retail store in an online format just for that occasion when you lose track of time, or just can't make it here and want some "Tampa Gear". Log on to our site at www.VisitTampaBay.com/Store, and browse around our selection of apparel, merchandise, gift packages, and spa products and have a little piece of our great destination delivered to your door.

This selection of merchandise is hand picked from our physical retail center and is ready to supply you with Tampa Bay themed: playing cards, golf balls, plush toys, baby-wear, and other collectible items. We ship anywhere in the continental US, but at present will not be able to ship internationally.

We are all crazy excited to have gotten this one off the ground so thanks to the team around here for helping me put it together, and be sure to check it out and feel free to order away.

On Monday, the weather dipped to a crisp 70 something degrees and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect for a day on the green, so that’s exactly where we went for another fabulous Tampa Bay&Company event.

Our 15th Annual Golf Tournament, Tee Off for Tourism was the best way to kill a few hours in the middle of the day. This year’s tournament attracted 68 golfers from all over the Bay area to the lush Emerald Greens Golf Resort & Country Club. We also hosted an online auction of donated hotel stays and attraction tickets among other vacation getaway packages that raised about $10,000.

The proceeds from both the tournament and auction are being used to fund five college scholarships for local Hillsborough County high school students completing the Academy of Travel & Tourism program. Not only was the tournament a blast, it was for a good cause!

All in all, the tournament was a success. If you’re coming to visit Tampa Bay and want to get a few games of golf in, make sure you check out our list of partner golf resorts. If you’ve been to any of our local golf resorts, drop a comment and let me know how your Tampa Bay golf experience went.

So if you are as amped up about tonight's Game 1, as I am then you are already making plans about where to go and watch the game, if you couldn't get a ticket. I've done my homework and wanted to try and point out a few bars and such for everyone to go out and support the Rays tonight as Kazmir takes the mound to shut out the Phillies tonight! 

So many places to choose from, but I have complied my list of favorite places to hang out as well as a few that were reccomended to me.  Game starts tonight at 8 p.m. so you better have your bottom planted in a bar stool at one of these places with a blue mohawk and the biggest cowbell you can find! I need more cowbell baby!

• Macdinton's Irish Pub - Irish pub and restaurant with delicious food and friendly Irish staff. Happy hour (2 for 1) 11:30am-7pm every day but Friday. Friday 6pm-8pm, $10 ALL YOU CAN DRINK. Patio, big screen TV, darts, pool, golf, ample parking and specials every night.
• Rock-n-Sports Bar & Grille - Upscale sports bar and grille located in Centro Ybor. Outside seating available, open seven days a week for lunch and dinner specialties: ribs, seafood, burgers, wings and 25 draft beers. Private catering available for meetings, parties and sports events.
• Champps Americana -Champps is a unique, upscale casual dining and socializing experience. We differentiate ourselves by offering a fun, upbeat environment, a wide variety of food prepared from scratch and access to international, national, and local sporting events via state-of-the-art audio visual equipment.
• Ferg's Sports Bar & Grill - Ferg’s is the ultimate spot to watch the Rays because of how close it is to Tropicana Field. You get to enjoy the same atmosphere before and after the game as all the people with tickets but you get the benefit of all the camera angles and replays on TV during this big series. No matter when you show up, Ferg’s is the place to be before, during, and after each Rays game. 1320 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. (727) 822-4562, fergsonline.com.
• Champion’s Sports Bar (Marriott Waterside) -Root for your team in front of the big screen TV while you enjoy light fare and your favorite beverages. Champions is casual, so you don't have to "dress up to dress out." Located across the street from the St. Pete Times Forum. Meet your friends before hockey games and events!
• The Press Box - The “Box” as the locals call it has just recently upgraded all the big screens in their establishment making it one of the best places to actually sit down and really enjoy the game. Just ask any Buccaneers fan and they will tell you that the Box has got a very friendly staff and the wings speak for themselves.  I would recommend The Press Box any day of the week to anyone that likes sports. 222 S Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. (813) 876-3528, .
• GameWorks - GameWorks is a casual dining experience that features entertainment guests cannot duplicate at home.
• Giordano's - Pioneer of the famous Chicago stuffed and equally renowned thin-crust pizza. Pastas, soups, sandwiches, assorted fresh salads and desserts. With several locations in Florida to serve you, we are open for lunch and dinner with a full service bar. Dine-in, carry out, delivery and catering available.
• Green Iguana Ybor City -Voted Tampa Bay's Best Bar & Ybor's Best Club. Unique restaurant with Florida/ Caribbean style menu. Open seven days a week, serving lunch, dinner & late night menu items. Catering on/off site. Live entertainment nightly. Never a cover. Sidewalk cafe available. Private banquet room also available.
• Splitsville - Bowling, billiards and dinner lounge featuring gourmet appetizers, sushi, and classic retro entrees.
• The Rec Room - Rounding out my short list is The Rec Room, a new sports bar located in BayWalk in downtown St. Pete. I have heard a lot about the Rays watch parties that have been going on throughout the playoffs, so I would expect this place to be jumping come World Series time. You can watch the game on any one of the 11 plasma screens and enjoy the company of many other local Rays fans. 121 Second Ave. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 822-4413.

So get out there and enjoy all the food fun, and what I am sure will be numerous drink specials as our Rays, hope to get the series off toa  good start tonight!

At long last its here!  Tampa bay & Company along with the St. Pete Clearwater CVB launched the beta version of its long awaited Travelocity Experience Finder.  Now in addition to our wonderful website, you the visitor can use this interactive tool to plan your vacation down to the "T"!

Plan your trip to the best beaches in America, a shop till you drop adventure, golfing  or plan a fun filled day at one of Tampa Bay's many fun filled attractions  with interactive photos and mapping technology built into the interface!

Choose from four themes from: Adventure, Family, Culture, and Beach to narrow down your choices of things to do before you get here! Select your hotel and choose from 20 different fun and engaging activities for you and your family & friends.

So visit the site and check it out! Feel free to drop me a line and lwet me know what you think!

Hey gang!  We are back with some more great Tampa Bay area events including options for nightlife, dinning and culture, family-fun activities and other things to do in Tampa Bay – all offered by the great partners of Tampa Bay & Company. 

If it’s your birthday this weekend, then head over to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, and get in FREE!  Plus, you’ll get a free meal from Garden Grille, Paradise Café or Grub & Grog.  This offer is good through the end of the year (while they are celebrating THEIR 21st B-day!), so head on out and play with the wildlife! 

On Saturday, head out to Hyde Park Village for the annual High Heel Hike from 12-2pm (registration is at 11am).  This is the most outrageous 1K run/walk for any age that you’ll ever take part in.  It’s $25 to enter, and all of the benefits go to the Young Survival Coalition…log on to www.hydeparkvillage.net for info. 

Once you are done with the 1K, head back over to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for the fifth annual Zoo Run Run, a 5K run that winds through the zoo and along the Hillsborough River.  Plus, children can enter a special “Fun Run” which follows the 5K.  Log on to the Zoo’s website for info…

Next, hop in the car and make your way to Plant City for the monthly Strawberry Classic Car Show, from 4-9pm.  Make sure you stick around to see Santa Claus, who will stop by to visit the children from 5-7pm.  And…it’s all FREE!!!!  Click here, for more information. 

That’s it for this week, but don’t forget that this is just at taste of the events are providing for you all to experience and have fun with.  Just log on to the VisitTampaBay.com website and take a look at our Calendar of Events.  You'll find options for shopping, sports, beaches, golf, arts and culture and more. 

Plus, check back next week and we’ll let you know what’s up with our partners for next weekend. Make sure you stop back and let us know how you some of these events were…or if you have other events you want to tell everyone about. 

Ok, so if you’ve tuned in to the Lifestyle Blog, you’ve heard the latest reviews about nightlife, the night scene, coffee shops restaurants and other things to do in Tampa Bay.  We've got so much to do here with the attractions, beaches, shopping, golf, and sports...not to mention the arts and culture in Tampa Bay...But, where do you start?  Where do you eat?  What do you do? 

Well, now you can not only get the latest reviews about Tampa Bay entertainment, but you can check back here for a weekly (hopefully) update on some of our partner’s special events, entertainment and other Tampa Bay area events for the weekend.

Start your Tampa Bay tour off tonight you can head down to Raymond James Stadium to watch the USF Bulls take on the Kansas Jayhawks (if you were lucky enough to get tickets that is).  The Bulls have started off the season on a high note, so let’s see if they can keep the magic alive.  The game starts at 8pm, so if you aren’t there, you better be in front of a TV…it’s sure to be a matchup! 

If hard-hitting action (no, we aren’t talking football here) is your thing, then head down to the St. Pete Times Forum tomorrow for the Xtreme Fighting Championships.  This Mixed Martial Arts Event returns to the St. Pete Times Forum and it all starts at 1pm, at which time the Chrysler-Jeep Plaza outside of the Forum will come alive with performances from local bands, a bike show, and more.  

If you’d rather relax with the fam, then head down to MOSI, where there’s fun for everyone.  For tomorrow and Sunday only, folks can head down and get in for 50% off and enjoy over 450 hands-on exhibits, a show in The Saunders Planetarium, and one standard IMAX® Dome Theatre film. 

This is just a taste of what’s going on with our partners this weekend, but there’s much more happening.  Just log on to the VisitTampaBay.com website and take a look at our Calendar of Events.  Plus, check back next week and we’ll let you know what’s up with our partners for next weekend. 

Make sure you get out there, have fun, then check back and let us know how it was.  Or, if you have an event you want mentioned, just let us know. 

Here at Tampa Bay & Company we like to let all of you know about the cool, fun, exciting, neat and just awesome things to do in Tampa Bay.  Since it’s so hot outside lately, we figured giving you options for golf or other Tampa Bay area events may not be so well received.  So, when our friends at MOSI sent this information over, we just had to share.

From 9 am – 6 pm on September 7, grandmas and grandpas will receive free admission with a paid child to MOSI, including the final day of Dinosaurs! The Exhibition!...now how can you beat that?  Also from noon to 2 pm, Health and Wellness Fitness Professional June Kittay will show kids and grandparents how to get their bodies in motion! Grandparents can also enjoy a 20% discount off MOSI family memberships, and get information about Senior Programs at MOSI.

Here’s some background for those of you who aren’t familiar with MOSI – it is the largest science center in the southeastern United States (with more than 400,000 square feet) and home to the only IMAX® Dome Theatre in the state of Florida.   Kids In Charge! The Children’s Science Center at MOSI is the largest children’s science center in the nation.

If you want some more details, you can visit their website - www.mosi.org.  Or, you can always go to the VisitTampaBay website for info on MOSI, not to mention info on the rest of our 700+ partners and area events.  . 

Make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity to spend some time with the grandparents, or grandchildren…or just spend time in the air conditioning! 

Don’t forget to come back and let us know how it was…or if you’ve been to MOSI lately, tell us what you thought. 

We all see the affects of meetings, conventions, and especially big sporting events when they get in to town.  The fans…the players and coaches…and those funny people dressed up in crazy outfits screaming things that no one can understand.  If you are anything like me, you have to wonder… “what’s the benefit of it all???”

Well, the research is in for the 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four that rolled through Tampa Bay in April of this year.  The Women’s Final Four brought in thousands of fans who stayed in our hotels, took Tampa Bay Tours, experienced Tampa Bay attractions, played on our golf courses and participated in all of the things to do in tampa bay.  

Well, the Championship, and all of the activities that went along with it, produced more than $19 MILLION in direct economic impact in Tampa Bay! 

Here are some stats (for those of you who are in to numbers):

• There was $19,114,228 of direct, new spending in the Tampa Bay metropolitan statistical area.
• The $19.1 million economic impact includes $16,655,769 in visitor spending; $2,399,936 in organizational spending; and $1,835,927 in taxes and charges (including hotel taxes, car rental taxes, sales tax, and airport passenger facility charges).
• There were 22,595 visitors to the Tampa Bay area at the Women’s Final Four, the Time Out in Tampa event and Hoop City.
• Of this total, 21,067 were considered “valid visitors,” when excluding those who switched a planned trip to the host city to coincide with the Women’s Final Four; and those visiting for other reasons.
• Valid visitors stayed an average of 4.2 days and spent an average of $208 per day. Among fans attending the semifinal and championship games, 91 percent were from out of town. For Hoop City attendees, 87 percent were visitors and 13 percent were local residents. Of those attending the Time Out in Tampa, 88 percent were visitors and 12 percent were local.
• 75 percent of attendees came from outside the state of Florida and 75 percent were female.
• The average age of attendees was 46.1 years, and 74 percent of attendees had earned college or postgraduate degrees.

As far as things to do in Tampa Bay go, this one ranks at the top!  If you want to read the entire new release, log on to the VisitTampaBay website, or click here: http://www.visittampabay.com/articles/index.cfm?action=View&ArticleID=336

For those of you who were at the event, let us know what you thought!  Or, if you have a business that saw the benefit, drop a line! 

 

That’s right…it’s time to think outside the box as we celebrate 23 years of history and take a tour of Tampa Bay & Company at our Annual Meeting & Luncheon on Wednesday, September 24.  All of the excitement takes place at the Tampa Convention Center.  We typically have hundreds of people from businesses across the Tampa Bay area, so this is something you won’t want to miss.

This year’s theme is “Thinking Outside the Box,” so be sure to come out and hear the play-by-play for what’s in store for 2009.  This is the one time each year we are able to highlight the accomplishments of the organization over the past year, as well as generate awareness of the value of the visitor industry to the Tampa Bay and emphasize the benefits of tourism to the local economy.  You’ll even get to meet the new board of directors for this season. 

Also, this is a great chance to network with some of Tampa Bay & Company’s best partners including Tampa Bay golf courses (who doesn't want more golf connections in Tampa Bay), hotels, sports and meetings venues, attractions and many more.  Also, come out and talk one-on-one with the staff at Tampa Bay & Company.  From the meetings and convention folks to the Tampa Bay sports and film commissions, we’ll all be out there to meet and greet throughout the entire event. 

To get tickets, or if you just want more information, contact Kelly Book at KBook@VisitTampaBay.com; or log on to www.VisitTampaBay.com/meetings. 

So, if you are looking for things to do in Tampa Bay, make sure you come on out to enjoy an afternoon with Tampa Bay & Company.  For those of you who have been out to our annual meetings before, you know they are a blast, if only for the entertainment. 

Make sure you hit us up after the event and let us know what you thought…or, if you’ve been to our events in the past, fill everyone in on what you thought! 

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!   

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.  

The ACC kicked off its media coverage in Reynolds Plantation, GA on July 19th.  The day was full of print, radio, and television interviews from over 200 members of the media.  After answering questions all day and taking a few pictures, the players had a chance to relax.  Many miles are upcoming in the distance as all teams head down the Road To Tampa Bay in less than six weeks.  The student athletes tested themselves at numerous video and arcade games, as well as taking in a few lessons on golf at the driving range.
 
Check out pictures from the event (compliments of the ACC and Rivals.com)!  http://www.theacc.com/view.gal?id=30217
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/photofeature.asp?SID=1144&fid=23554

If you run across any photos or stories you want to see posted down The Road To Tampa Bay, please post them in the following comments section! 

Log on to www.TheACC.com for more Reynolds Plantation coverage and stayed tuned to www.TheRoadToTampaBay.com for updates down the Road To Tampa Bay.

“Green” – it’s everywhere we look nowadays.  We have all heard the term, and most of us have probably even used it, but do we really know what it means?  Well, whether you do or don’t, I can tell you that there are a lot of places around Tampa Bay that know exactly what it means to be Green.

The Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay has just been added to the increasing list of Green Lodging in Tampa Bay from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  For those of you who aren’t aware, the Florida Green Lodging Program encourages hotels to adopt cost-saving, “green” practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. 

We here at Tampa Bay & Company are even doing our part for the Green Movement!  From recycling efforts to using coffee mugs instead of Styrofoam cups, we have Green on the brain.  You can even take a look at our e-mails where at the bottom is says, “Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.”  

If you haven’t caught up on the Green Movement, then now’s your chance to do so.  Log on to the Department of Environmental Protection’s website, www.dep.state.fl.us, to find out which businesses in your community are going green, and how you can be green in your everyday activities. 

I know what you’re saying – “what’s the point of all of this.”  Well, the point is this – going Green is all around us and it will do nothing but get bigger and bigger.  It’s not just hotels…it’s attractions, golf courses, and small and large businesses throughout the area.  Even individuals can do their part.
 

Well, we’d like to hear how you are going green, so we can all learn.  If you have beat the rush and are a “Green-Minded” person/company, let us know some of the “tricks of the trade” to make our lives a bit easier as we make the transition.  Or, if you know of some specific companies around town that are green, share away!

Ok, let’s be real, we live in Florida for one, undeniable reason – to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors as much as humanly possible.  Well, if you’re anything like me, not much beats a day out on the golf course trying to hit a small round ball with a 4 foot stick in to a tiny hole that just happens to by lying as far as 500 yards away. 

 

Ok, when I put it like that, it doesn’t sound like that much fun at all…but this time, we will be Teeing Off For Tourism.  That’s right, the date is set, the location is locked in and we are ready to hit those hole-in-ones! 

 

Tampa Bay & Company’s annual golf tournament is scheduled to take place at Emerald Greens Golf Resort (in north Tampa) on October 27.  Now, I realize it’s a bit far away to be talking about it now, but if you are as excited about it as I am, then you need to start gearing up now! 

 

But, in addition to the fun and games (and believe me, there will be games) that will be played that day, we are doing some good as well.  The proceeds from the golf tournament fund scholarships for Hillsborough County high-school students in the Academy of Tourism/Travel/Hospitality program.

 

So, get your knee-high socks, golf knickers and cools hats ready, because we are going to Tee-Off For Tourism like never before.  Be on the lookout for more information, or, check back on the Tampa Bay & Company website (www.VisitTampaBay.com) as it gets closer.  

 

Do you have a favorite course to play in Tampa?  Or even better, do you have a favorite hole (or even one that you just can’t seem to get the hang of…there are plenty of them for me)?  Or, do you have a funny story about driving your cart in to a pond (hopefully that wasn’t just me)?  Share away!!!!!!!!!

Hey there music fans! 

Now that summertime is here, we at Tampa Bay & Company are hitting the waves throughout Florida - the airwaves that is.  As part of the Summertime Tampa Initiative, we are reaching out to radio stations across the state to let everyone know about the amazing activities going on here in the Bay area, including deals on golfing, hotels, attractions and more.  

Just click on the link below to hear a sample of the great things visitors have a change to see, expererience and even WIN!!!!!  http://www.visittampabay.com/docs/SummertimeTampa-Game_Show%20Host%2030R.zip

Not only can everyone hear about Tampa Bay over the airwaves, but they can log on to Summertime Tampa's website, www.SummerTimeTampa.com, which you've probably been on if you've seen Jeremy's Interactive Blog.  In case you haven't, this site provides a  tour and one-stop shop for local news and deals on “Only-In-Tampa-Bay” things to do this summer.

But that's not it!  Take a look at the lastest AAA Going Places Magazine and you'll see things to do, attractions to partake in and just Tampa Bay in all it's glory, highligted on pages 58-59, along with other places!  

So, happy reading and listening and be on the lookout for Summertime Tampa messaging during your travels this summer.  Also, drop a line and let us know what you think about the radio spots and AAA Stories. 

Until next time...Hang Ten!!!!!

Okay guys, so did you really think I was done giving away the farm this summer?  May I remind you that you are talking to the guy who still makes cutting the coupons out of the Sunday newspaper a weekly tradition!  Okay you can stop laughing now, as I am sure I am not the only one!

In addition to all of the great "SummerTimeTampa.com" deals going on, if you are still looking for that hot Tampa Bay deal for your next trip, then I've got just what you need.

Log onto the VisitTampaBay.com website and and click on the "Visitors" page.  Then navigate down to the "Hot Deals" button on the left and check out all of the coupons and savings that are just waiting for you to take advantage of.  Or if you got a bad case of the Monday's like I do right now, then just visit www.VisitTampaBay.com/HotDeals. 

Whether its golf, our state-of-the-art hotels, or world-class Tampa, Florida attractions, you'll find it all right here with deals to make your wallet dance with delight.

Got a favorite Tampa Bay Hot Deal?  Reply to this post and tell me about, or shoot me a line or two about coupons and/or deals you would like to see posted in the future.

If you happened to catch the US Open this weekend then you might have seen the new Lexus commercial...you know the one I'm talking about, right? It featured professional golfers Chi Chi Rodriguez, Annika Sorenstam, Charles Howard III and Raymond Floyd racing through the streets of some unamed city...and it ran about 1,000 times! Well, that city happens to be Tampa!

The commercial was shot here back in  April and used the top of the South Regional parking garage, the Fort Brooke parking garage, the LeRoy Selmon Crosstown Expressway and a boardroom at Tampa Bay & Company as filming locations.

The commercial will run through the end of the month on NBC but you can catch a 3-minute short film version online at www.lexus.com/myownpursuit/. Do you recognize your city?

Summer time is the right time to visit Tampa Bay, and like always you can count on the "Jerm" (that would be me) to look after your wallets as well as your gas tanks this summer vacation!  Log onto www.SummerTimeTampa.com and see the hottest deals that Tampa has to offer to you and your family this summer as you plan that oh-so-deserved summer vacation.

With the help of our wonderful Tampa Bay & Company Partners, we bring to you the best the bay has to offer on golf, hotels, attractions, and other fun things to do in Tampa Bay this summer.  If you didn't think that was a sweet enough deal, then visit www.VisitTampaBay.com/SummerContest and be amazed even more when you register for your free trip to Tampa Bay!!! 

One lucky  winner and their family will receive accommodations for four in a two-bedroom suite for three nights and breakfast for four one morning at Saddlebrook Resort Tampa.We even threw in a gas card for the lucky winner to ease the pain at the pump these days.  Now thats what I call a sweet deal!

So click here to find out more and enter to win!   

What does summer have in store for you this year?  Drop me a line and let me know your summer plans, or feel free to ask me any questions about our summer deals!

Okay Internet travel seekers, not only is it summertime, buts its about that time each month where we roll out the latest issue of the Tampa Bay Traveler!

Don't know what that is?  First of all shame on you, second of all, the Tampa Bay Traveler is our electronic newsletter that is distributed to all our "Future Tampa Visitors."  During the final week of each month, we gather up all the latest deals, news and, other happenings to send out in an email format to keep you up on what's goin down in the Bay!

Here you can look forward to the latest news on our Tampa Florida attractions, events, golf,  and other info to help you plan your next Tampa Bay Getaway.  This month's highlights include:

• Hot Summer Hotel Deals by Tampa Marriott Properties:  Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, Tampa Airport Marriott, Renaissance Tampa International Plaza, & Courtyard Tampa Airport Westshore.
• Summer events at the Dali Museum
• Dinosaurs!  at the Museum of Science & Industry
• African Culture and Dance at the Tampa Museum of Art
• and much more...

Feeling left out and wanna receive the Traveler each month?  Click here, or click on the "E-Newsletter" sign up on the right and be added to our recupient list for the latest cool stuff going on in Tampa Bay each month. 

Also, if you know of any cool deals in the Tampa Bay area, respond to this posting and let me know of any that you may have heard of!.

Be on the lookout for the July Traveler, and as always feel free to drop me a line! 

As your local interactive marketing guru, I spend countless hours focusing on ways to make traveling to Tampa more convenient and fun. When I am not playing soccer on the weekends, or watching old Star Trek:  The Next Generation re-runs, I find myself scouring the World Wide Web looking in search of the hottest trends in the industry. 

Having given you that wonderful introduction to my daily duties, I recently completed the digitization of our 2008 Travel Planner, a popular trend that is really optimizing our website visitors' experiences .  This comprehensive guide supplies travelers with a wide variety of information about the destination.  We offer the print version that we are more than happy to deliver to you at no charge, but for the impatient individual (like myself) who has to have it now, we offer the interactive version.