Home » USA » Paradise Advertising Selected to Boost Tourism on Florida’s Sports Coast
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
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Sports Coast, the tourism management organization (DMO) for Pasco County, Florida, one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, has appointed award-winning Paradise Advertising & Marketing, Inc. (Paradise) as its tourism marketing manager. Paradise will be responsible for the development of branding, creative content, advertising media and integrated marketing campaigns.
Guided by Florida’s Sports Coast’s three-year strategic marketing plan, Paradise will advertise and promote the county’s diverse tourism offerings to domestic and international leisure, conference, group and sports spectators. Paradise is a premier full-service tourism and destination marketing partner specializing in brand strategy, omnichannel advertising, content development and distribution, digital marketing, social media and communications, with a focus on sustainability and social inclusion.
Located on Florida’s central west coast, just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport, the Florida Sports Coast features more than 30 parks stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Withlacoochee River. Indoor and outdoor sports options abound, as do biking, hiking and water activities. State-of-the-art facilities include the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus in Pasco County and the Florida Hospital Center Ice Complex, the largest in the Southeast.
Florida has led the nation in population growth for the past two years, with increases of 1.9% and 1.6%, respectively, marking its first resurgence since the 1950s. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida will account for four of the nation’s five fastest-growing metropolitan areas by 2023, with Pasco County ranking third nationally with net domestic migration of 23,750 people. From 1970 to 2020, Pasco County’s population surged 639%, adding 485,936 people, and is projected to grow another 40% by 2045.
Destination and county leaders are working together to plan for significant growth, with tourism being a key economic driver. According to the Sport Events Tourism Association (Sports ETA), Florida leads the nation in sports tourism, with the industry generating $128 billion in economic impact, supporting 757,600 jobs and generating $20.1 billion in taxes. Florida’s Sports Coast is poised to play a key role in this vibrant sector.
“We pride ourselves on being a vibrant vacation spot for leisure travelers and a trusted destination for hosting sporting events, training camps and clinics at our state-of-the-art sports facilities, including the 150,000-square-foot AdventHealth Center Ice complex, the largest in the Southeast,” said Adam Thomas, executive director of Florida Sports Coast. “Among the many groundbreaking events we have hosted are the National Wheelchair Rugby Championship (presented by USWRA and Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch), which saw 180 wheelchair athletes from around the country and abroad compete at our resort; the TORHS National Championship, which saw over 2,200 overnight stays over 10 days and brought 255 roller hockey teams to our resort; and the 2023 Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational Basketball Tournament (presented by ENG Sports), which saw over 2,600 overnight stays and 200 high school basketball teams from around the country compete in the four-day tournament.”
Thomas added: “We chose Paradise because we chose a like-minded partner with extensive tourism marketing experience who understands our mission and knows how to evolve our tourism brand experience, drive visitor demand and communicate the value of our unique offering.”
Once a hidden gem, Pasco County has become recognized as an outdoor paradise for hiking, paddling and biking on an extensive network of trails across more than 100,000 acres of public land. Biking has become a standout attraction, drawing enthusiasts from around the world. Cyclists flock to ride the 42-mile paved Suncoast Trail, which spans three counties, and the Withlacoochee State Trail, a 46-mile paved path that begins near Dade City and is the longest railroad-turned-trail route in the state.
“We have long known and admired what Florida’s Sports Coast has to offer visitors,” said Paradise President Rudy Webb, “and we couldn’t be more pleased to partner with this incredible destination and help realize its vision to emerge not only as an influential state tourism leader, but also as a national and international sports tourism powerhouse.”
