Nov. 18 event to be held at Carlisle Inn in Sarasota
Global travel insights will be the focus of Visit Sarasota County’s Indicators & Insights Summit on Nov. 18, with Nicole Porter, vice president of political affairs for the U.S. Travel Association, serving as the keynote speaker, Visit Sarasota County has announced.
The event will be held at the Carlisle Inn, which stands at 3727 Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota.
Porter’s talk, scheduled for 8 a.m. on Nov. 18, “will cover national and international tourism trends — from tariffs and TSA to America’s global travel brand — and their economic impact regionally in Florida,” a news release notes.
In her position with the U.S. Travel Association, the release explains, “Porter leads and develops all grassroots and political programs to bolster U.S. Travel’s advocacy efforts. Under Nicole’s leadership,” the release points out, U.S. Travel raised more than $2 million for TravelPAC and the Advocacy Fund during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. That has helped ensure that the travel industry maintains a strong voice in Washington, D.C., and that it has secured “a lasting seat at the table on and off Capitol Hill,” the release adds.
Following Porter’s keynote address, representatives of Visit Sarasota County’s research firm — Downs & St. Germain Research of Tallahassee — “will share the state of local tourism and peek into their crystal ball to forecast market trends heading into season and 2026,” the release continues.
“Tourism is a key economic engine benefitting Florida families and futures, and our annual Summit is looking to dive deeper on how our industry works hard for local businesses and residents — so everyone can tap into our thriving visitor economy,” said Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County, in the release. “Having a member of U.S. Travel’s leadership team, who day-in and day-out advocate for our industry in Washington and beyond, only further underscores just how critical Florida — and Sarasota County — are in driving global travel to our country,” Duggan added.
Joining Porter and the Downs & St. Germain representatives will be three breakout speakers, “each thought leaders of their own in event management, networking, and communications,” the release notes:
- Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day, “will bring her playbook for ethical AI for sports and event tourism.”
- Blair Bloomston, founder of Leaders Uplifted, “will share how to tap into your positively electric networking skills.”
- Kristen Theisen, CEO of Amplify Connections Consulting, “will provide tangible ways to level up team communication and service culture.”
Additionally during the Summit, the release notes, Visit Sarasota County “will honor exemplary hospitality professionals who advance the industry and announce seven finalists for its annual Haley Hall of Fame Awards,” the release adds.
Tickets are on sale starting at $60; they include breakfast along with all-day admission to the Summit, the release says. Group discounts are available. For tickets and more information, visit https://visitsarasotacounty.ticketspice.com/visit-sarasota-county-indicators-insights-summit-2025.