Tampa Bay Resorts

1. You have to be a fan of the Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo and Zoofari facebook pages.
2. Change your status to “I want to go to Zoofari at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo on Saturday, Nov. 7.” Don’t forget that facebook allows you to tag pages and profiles by adding the “@” sign in front the name. (ex.: @Zoofari, @Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo).
3. Answer the trivia question posted on the Zoofari facebook page.
4. When you’ve completed all the above tasks, let us know by leaving a comment on the Zoofari page.
5. Those who complete each task will be entered into a drawing to win two adult complimentary tickets to Zoofari, Saturday November 7th at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. 2 winners will be randomly selected and announced Monday, November 2.

Hey gang...Travis back and of course we're taking you through some very cool Tampa Bay area events!  Today we are talking about an event we all look forward to each and every year - Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Zoofari!

Known as one of the largest and “wildest” all-inclusive food festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo invites food lovers to its 23rd annual Zoofari feeding frenzy. 

The event features great food sampling from dozens of the Bay area’s best restaurants, open bars, the “Art Safari” wildlife art auction, and live music throughout the event.  The Zoo welcomes Florida favorite Sister Hazel on the main stage, and additional artists Jason Young, Nate Najar, Alan Darcy, and The Vodkanuts in locations throughout the Zoo.  

It is a fundraiser, so tickets are $75 online at LowryParkZoo.com, $80 by phone 813-935-8552 ext. 276, or $85 at the door the night of the event. 

VIP/group packages are available in the “Rhino Club” with exclusive use of the beautiful Safari Lodge. Individual Rhino tickets start at $135 with group packages available.  Admission tickets are all-inclusive and the event is rain or shine. 

if you need more info, head over to www.lowryparkzoo.com!  And keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay, and other Tampa Bay area events! 
 

Greetings …

Allow me to introduce myself … its Maria Watson here with my inaugural blog and I wish to extend a special thank-you and give kudos to former Tampa Bay & Company staff member Megan Marra for keeping us all abreast of the exciting happenings in Tampa Bay with her blogs.  I wish her well in her endeavors as she passed along the torch to us newbie’s  who will carry the torch with pride as we strive to continue bringing you the most up-to-date meetings and conventions news. :)

Now with that being said -- If you're a meeting planner and you are looking for new and interesting venues to hold board meetings and receptions, we've got GREAT news for you.

It’s no secret that The Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel, located in downtown, is offering a deal that literally no other hotel can beat and now they are having an open- house.

But this is not your standard “open house” – because the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk has been hand selected by Sheraton Corporate office to showcase its recent renovation.
 

Sheraton will host a two-day open house for hundreds of meeting planners, corporate travel buyers and social event planners, September 30th -October 1st. 

This event will spotlight a selection of Sheraton’s “best in class” hotels including the Le Centre Sheraton in Montreal, Sheraton Boston, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, Sheraton Denver Hotel, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and of course our very own Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel!!

So if you out and about Downtown Tampa between the hours of  11:00 am – 6:00 pm  on September 30th - October 1st stop by for personal tours, free food, free drinks, and a chance to win gift certificates redeemable for a complimentary one night stay at any of the 900 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide!

Remember you can always check out the hotel's Web site or contact a Tampa Bay & Company sales staff member to book your next meeting at this and other Tampa Bay properties.

Thanks for stopping by and keep checking back with me for more exciting Tampa Bay Meetings news.

Peace!

Good Morning! Lindsey's back in the blogging seat and I'm still recovering from the loss of our wonderful summer intern, Katy Williamson. Katy was an avid blogger and spent a lot of time keeping you guys up to date on the latest with the Tampa Bay film community. Her contributions to the film commission will not be forgotten and we wish Katy the best of luck as she begins her sophmore year at Florida State University.

Now onto some upcoming Tampa Bay area events...

I hope you're able to make it to Sunday's screening of My Time Will Come, a film from Ecuador, and part of the Gasparilla International Film Festival's prestigious 2009 Global Lens Film Series. The film will screen at the Tampa Pitcher Show at 2:00pm- Sunday, August 30. Tickets are only $5 at the door, but members of the Gasparilla International Film Festival may attend free. And because the parties never stop at GIFF, they invite you to join the fun and help support the 2010 festival at GIFF's Annual Benefit Party and Art Auction on September 11th from 7:00pm to 11:00pm.  Some of Tampa's best and brightest artists will showcase their latest works at The Ritz in Ybor for a silent auction.  Many other great prizes, including a 5-night trip to Puerto Vallerta, Mexico, will be auctioned and raffled off to support the 2010 festival.


Dont forget about the Sunscreen Film Festival's upcoming acting workshop with Lana Veenker, the casting director of Twilight, and the renowned Miami-based acting coach Marc Durso. The workshop will take place in Downtown St. Pete from 9am to 5pm on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 2009. The program costs $125. For more info contact Harry Chittenden at harryc@harryc.net. To learn more about the Sunscreen Film Festival check out their website.

This is a bit overdue but I must say congratulations to all of the winners of this year's 48 Hour Film Project -

• Best Film : “HA” by Good Karma
• Best Directing : “Nothin’ But Treble” – Nakagawa Super Filming Camera Team
• Best Writing : “HA” by Good Karma
• Best Editing : Evan Smith for “The Perpetual Life: Kyle Cooper” by OutaFocus
• Best Actor: Nathan Cochran for “Sweaty Noche” by The Guacamanca Theatre Film Company
• Best Actress: Catey Brannan for “Foos Don’t Lie” by Team JumpCut
• Best Cinematography: Erik Curtis for “The Perpetual Life: Kyle Cooper” by OutaFocus
• Best Sound Design: “Sweaty Noche” by The Guacamanca Theatre Film Company
• Best Use of Character (Kyle or Kylie Cooper, Hypochondriac): “HA” by Good Karma
• Best Use of Prop (Mattress): “HA” by Good Karma
• Best Use of Line of Dialogue (“When you say it like that, it’s crystal clear”): “Nothin’ But Treble” by Nakagawa Super Filming Camera Team
• Best Graphics: “Bedlam” by AskStephenBell.com
• Best Special Effects: “HA” by Good Karma
• Best Musical Score: “Nothin’ But Treble” by Nakagawa Super Filming Camera Team
• Best Choreography: “Nothin’ But Treble” by Nakagawa Super Filming Camera Team
• Special Jury Award: “The Wright Way” by Studio Generic

Travis here.  We keep bringing you some great Tampa Bay area events, and things aren't changing today.  Make sure you save the date for Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Zoofari on Sat., Nov. 7 from 7-11pm.  Here's the scoop -

Known as one of the largest and “wildest” all-inclusive food festivals in the Tampa Bay Area, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo invites food lovers to its 23rd annual Zoofari feeding frenzy. 

The event features great food sampling from some of the Bay area’s best restaurants, open bars, the “Art Safari” wildlife art auction, and live music throughout the event (headliner announcement coming soon). 

Tickets are $75 online at LowryParkZoo.com (starting in September), $80 by phone 813-935-8552 ext. 276 (starting in October), or $85 at the door the night of the event.  VIP/group packages are available in the “Rhino Club” with exclusive use of the Safari Lodge.

Individual Rhino tickets start at $135 with group packages available.  Admission tickets are all-inclusive and the event is rain or shine.  There's no need to search for where to eat, what to do or any other Tampa Bay entertainment because it's all right here. 

So, make sure you check back in, because more details are coming about this event.  Until then, keep checking in for more great things to do in Tampa Bay, and other Tampa Bay area events.
 

• 10% Master Account rebate
• Suite upgrades for everyone
• 50% off Golf
• 4th weekend night free
• Comp one-hour welcome reception
• 10% discount on A/V and airport transportation
• 50% off team building event
• One free coffee break
• 50% attrition allowance
• 1 per 35 comp rooms credited to Master Account
• Complimentary parking
• 15% discount on retail purchases and spa services for all meeting attendees

• 25 rooms per night for 2 nights- choose 3 concessions
• 50 rooms per night for 2 nights- choose 6 concessions
• 100 rooms per night for 2 nights- choose 9 concessions
• 200 rooms per night and above for 2 nights- receive all 12 concessions!

Ok, Travis here with a Tampa tourism update that we just had to share.  The Renaissance Tampa Hotel was named the 2008 Hotel of the Year by Marriott International, Inc.  The full service, Four Diamond property was selected from 79 Renaissance managed hotels located throughout North America.

As part of this honor and for the second time in the hotel's five-year history, J.W. Marriott Jr. will be visiting the hotel this afternoon. 

Hotel of the Year is based on the following criteria:  leadership excellence/most improved, overall guest satisfaction, market share and financial excellence.  But, we have to mention some other awards they've won too! 

How about the general manager's selection as General Manager of the Year, plus the executive chef of the hotel’s companion restaurant PELAGIA Trattoria was honored as Executive Chef of the Year 2007 for Renaissance hotels and resorts worldwide.

So, congrats for a job well done. 

If you know of any other recognitions we should be posting, let us know.  And keep checking back for other Tampa tourism updates, as well as great Tampa Bay entertainment and other things to do in Tampa Bay.

Hey gang...Travis here with you Summer 2009 Travel Trend #6 from SmarterTravel.com!  Here it is...

Travel Trend #6 - National Parks

Accessibility and affordability are big trends this year. With many national parks within a drive away, and also offering affordable admission and accommodations (campsites and lodges are usually much cheaper than area hotels), national parks can be a great option for budget-oriented travelers. The biggest trend I've seen so far are early-bird specials, so you'll want to act fast to take advantage of these good deals.

If you can get away in early summer, Xanterra Parks & Resorts is offering Yellowstone Summer Getaway Packages including lodging, daily breakfast, a welcome gift, and a discount card redeemable at area restaurants, gift shops, and tour operators. A two-night minimum stay is required, and rates start at $139 per person for packages at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel from May 29 through June 17. Other deals at Xanterra's Yellowstone lodges are also available.

Shenandoah National Park's resorts and lodges have a host of accommodations packages, including "Early Bird Packages" from $104 per night through June 25, an "Explorer Package" including a bag lunch and trail maps for $128 per night for stays from April into either September or November (depending on the resort), and a "Blue Ridge Package" including breakfast and dinner from $198 for stays from April 12 through November 24.

You can search for additional promotions and special offers at your national park of choice by visiting the National Park Service website, as well as Xanterra, the lodging company for popular parks such as the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon.

Yes, not all of these lead to Tampa, but we are here to bring you the latest tourism information...so there you have it!  But, keep coming back because we have more updates and trends for you! 

And as always, keep checking back for more Tampa Tourism information, as well as updates about great things to do in Tampa Bay!  We have some really cool events coming up, so log back in to get your Tampa bay entertainment info...and for goodness sakes, get out and enjoy the Tampa Bay weather!!!!!
 

Hey everyone!  Travis back with your daily summer 2009 Travel Trend update from SmarterTravel.com.  So, here we go...straight to you from SmarterTravel.com (and reporter Sarah Pascarella) -

Travel Trend #2 for Summer 2009 - All-Inclusive Resorts

I've been seeing a lot of deals for all-inclusive resorts this summer, and it makes sense—when you're pinching pennies, it's great to know your price for everything (accommodations, meals, and entertainment) up front, with no surprises later. All-inclusive properties also offer the ultimate in relaxation—everything is provided for you—which may be especially attractive in these high-stress times.

Vacation Outlet maintains a site exclusively for promotions at all-inclusive properties. At press time, current deals covering airfare, all-inclusive hotel, and taxes included $665 per person for four nights at the Starfish Trelawny in Falmouth, Jamaica; $779 per person for four nights at Dreams Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic; and $849 at Breezes Bahamas in Nassau. Many other packages are available; check the Vacation Outlet website for the latest offerings.

You'll also be able to find a variety of all-inclusive vacations on sale at BeachDestinations.com, CheapCaribbean.com, and PleasantHolidays.com. CheapCaribbean offers a feature where you can search by meal plan (select "All Inclusive" from the drop-down menu); other providers simply note which properties are all-inclusive in their search results.

Popular all-inclusive brands such as Beaches, Club Med, and Sandals list the latest promotions right on their own websites. Booking directly with a provider also eliminates third-party fees.

So,how many of you will be using the all-inclusive option this summer?  It sounds like a great way to get it all, including these beautiful Tampa Bay area beaches, Tampa Bay dining and so much more! 

Keep checking back as we bring you more travel trends for Summer 2009 over the next few days.  And keep checking back for great ways to implement these trends and updates about great things to do in Tampa Bay! 
 

Hey all you tourism lovers out there!  Travis back with some fun tid bits of summer travel for you!  Summer is almost here...the fun times by the pool.  The walks in the park on a sunny afternoon.  And even just hanging out on some of the Tampa Bay area beaches and catching some rays (which I might add is a HUGE bonus of being in Tampa Bay)! 

Summer travel is a huge deal to a lot of people, including us!  Well, SmarterTravel.com has just come out with the Hottest Travel Trends for Summer 2009 and we are going to bring some of those straight to you!  We'll be bringing you a new trend everyday for the nex several days...So, here's some info from SmarterTravel.com, and then the first part of the list -

In 2009, everything old is new again. Travelers are being more cautious during the economic downturn, and want a summer vacation that's going to give them the best experience for their hard-earned dollars and vacation time. Family vacations, road trips, and classic destinations are popular this summer, and deals are plentiful. High supply and decreased demand has created a buyers' (i.e., travelers') market. If you can swing it, you'll be able to get a lot more for your money this year.

Travel Trend #1: Air-and-Hotel Vacation Packages

Airfare-and-hotel bundles, or vacation packages, offer great deals to some destinations this summer, such as Hawaii. "[Travelers] can get a better price on airfare because resorts are subsidizing the cost just to get people there," notes SmarterTravel Senior Editor Christine Sarkis; you may be able to find similar offers for destinations also hit hard by the recession (think Vegas, the Caribbean, and the like). Online travel agencies (OTA) such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity have plentiful offers to a wide variety of destinations. While the OTAs are often the first places travelers look for such vacation types, you may also want to check your preferred airline for packages, as many carriers now have comparable offers for airfare-and-hotel deals.

For example, popular low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has a robust vacation package subsidiary, Southwest Vacations. Its current Wanna Get Away? promotion offers a range of discounts, including up to $114 in savings on vacations from Detroit to Ft. Lauderdale; up to $108 off packages from Long Island/Islip to Orange County, California; and up to $100 off vacations from San Francisco to Orlando, among many other city pairs. Book your vacation package by April 6 and travel through August 14. You can also check other carriers for their latest deals, including AAVacations, JetBlue Getaways, and United Vacations.

There's also a fee-elimination and travel-protection war currently going on among the major OTAs and Priceline, but only for a limited time. Read our recent blog to learn how you can save up to $600 on vacation package bookings through June 1.

And there you have it folks...but be sure to keep checking back as we bring you more travel trends for Summer 2009 over the next few days.  And keep checking back for great ways to implement these trends and updates about great things to do in Tampa Bay!  From Tampa Bay area events to where to eat, what to do and ways to enjoy your summertime in Tampa! 

Hey Gang...we'll be bringing you more about the Transitions Championship taking place through this weekend at the famed Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.  Just to give you a quick blurb about the tournament itself, here we go -

The March 16-22, 2009 Transitions Championship, which each year brings the top names on the PGA Tour to the Tampa Bay area, is played on the famed Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, located at 36750 US Hwy. 19 N. in Palm Harbor, 34684.  Proceeds from the tournament benefit over 150 local charities.  In the last 32 years, the total contributions exceed $23 million.

Ok, now that we've given you that info, let's talk about College weekend!!!  March 21 and 22 is College Weekend at the Transitions Championship.  All college students with valid student ID can purchase admission tickets for half price...tickets are regularly $40. 

The student offer is available at the Tournament Will Call Office located outside the Copperhead Course in Lot #1.  The lot is accessed from Belcher Road, just south of Klosterman.  Best access is by taking Klosterman from U.S. 19 N to Belcher and turning left on Belcher, then right into lot.

And there you go...some of the best Tampa Bay entertainment you'll find! If you want more information about the tournament, call 727-942-5566 or visit www.transitionschampionship.com.

And keep checking back here as we bring you more updates about this events, as well as other great things to do in Tampa Bay so you can enjoy this amazing Tampa Bay weather! 
 

Hey Everyone! Along with hosting a Super Bowl comes a TON of media exposure for the host city. Check out this GREAT story that the Boston Globe recently ran about Tampa Bay hosting the Super Bowl! It's a great destination article that represents Tampa wonderfully!

Boston Globe story:

In the imagination of Super Bowl marketers lives a place called Tampa Bay.

In reality, the blue expanse is Florida's largest open-water estuary, whose five bridges connect a lively, at times fractious bunch of sun-washed cities and towns. Take the cultural textures and working-port ethos of Tampa, add the wide streets and casual glam of St. Petersburg, and mix with 12 densely packed, barrier island beach colonies strung along Gulf Boulevard for 26 miles - now, where did you say you were staying for the big game on Feb. 1?

Recently we checked into a boutique hotel bargain, the mission-styled Ponce de Leon, a short stroll from St. Petersburg's Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club. With leafy pocket parks, elegant museums, and enough brick streets to fill a dozen Beacon Hills, this is a city to love.

Wondering where to eat? Have you heard of Pelagia Trattoria? This innovative, Mediterranean-inspired gem is located in the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza and the people who run it are creating quite a buzz in the Tampa Bay dining circuit.

Fabrizio Schenardi, executive chef of Pelagia Trattoria, and Jim Bartholomay, general manager of the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza have been respectively named Executive Chef of the Year and General Manager of the Year for 2007 by Renaissance Hotels&Resorts.

The Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza is rated with 4 AAA Diamonds and is self-described as reminiscent of “a Mediterranean villa, a Spanish square, or even a Cuban plaza.”

Pelagia Trattoria and its celebrity chef have received awards, notoriety and rave reviews from local media like the St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune, Discover Tampa Bay Newcomers Guide and national media like Southern Living Magazine, the Link Magazine, Zagat Survey and Restaurant Forum Magazine.

Award-winning celebrity chef, innovative and sophisticated cuisine, first-class Latin-style hotel in Tampa’s chíc Westshore business district… sounds like my kind of place. Drop me a comment if you’ve been to either Pelagia Trattoria or the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza and let me know if you thought it was as fabulous as everyone is saying it is.

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.