Honeymoon, Caladesi Islands Marketed to China

Tourism officials are trying to capture a market of 90 million Chinese visitors who will travel overseas in 2013.

2012 Record Year for Tourism in Pinellas

A record 5,435,000 visited Pinellas County in 2012 and which resulted in a record $7.8 billion in economic impact.

According to officials with the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2012 was a record year for tourism in Pinellas County.  Last year, expenditures for visitors increased 7.6 percent, according to county tourism officials. This increase led to the total economic impact of tourism to the St. Pete/Clearwater area to top $7.8 billion for the first time ever, a news release said. That is an increase of more than $521 million from 2011.  A look at the 2012 tourism numbers: "We are extremely happy to see such positive numbers," says DT Minich, VSPC Executive Director in a news release. "The strong growth in our top domestic and international markets proves that our sales and marketing efforts are on target, and we look …

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Dunedin Claims $8.8 Million in BP Oil Spill Losses

An 11-page claim demanding more than $8 million in lost revenue points to visitor declines at Dunedin's major natural tourism destinations Caladesi and Honeymoon Island state parks after the 2010 BP oil spill.

A claim for more than $8.8 million against BP is on its way to lawyers in South Carolina, Dunedin city attorney Tom Trask said Thursday. Trask said he "rushed in the last 14 days to get" Dunedin's claim against BP ready for high-powered, national plaintiff litigation firm Motley Rice LLC. The 11-page document boasts of Dunedin's two largest natural tourism destinations Caladesi and Honeymoon Island state parks and points to revenue lost from declined tourism after the company's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The claim for $8,812,133, plus another estimated $20,000 for recent forensic accounting fees not yet tallied, had already been sent through overnight mailing services by the time Dunedin city leaders voted to approve the claim …

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Swedish Visitor Introduces Snow Golf to Dunedin Club

Per-Olof Kellquist, a retired businessman vacationing from Sweden, explained what it's like to golf in the snow. On Jan. 24, his group got to play in the palm trees at Dunedin Golf Club.

This time of year, golf courses in Sweden are snowed over, explains Per-Olof Kellquist. Kellquist, of Stockholm, helped forge the Swedish aviation industry. His company, Si ATM, produces software for operating systems, training systems and air traffic control simulators used around the world. On Jan. 24, he grabbed a post-game beer at Dunedin Golf Club as part of a 13-day couples golf vacation booked through South Florida Golf Tours.  It was the their first time in Florida. His foursome included his wife, Irene Kellquist, and their longtime friends Lennart Ericson, a bigtime builder for 40 years in Sweden, and Margareta Edholm.  "We normally go abroad to find good weather," Kellquist said. Sign up for the Dunedin Patch email newsletter …

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Honeymoon Island Attendance Tops Florida's State Parks

Dunedin's Honeymoon Island State Park had the highest attendance in Florida for the sixth straight year, according to Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.

Honeymoon Island leads the way in attendance at Florida's state parks, with more than 1 million visitors dropping by last year, according to a recent blog post from Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. It's the sixth straight year Honeymoon Island State Park has been tops in visitors, "helping fund the network of 170 other parks and trails throughout the state of Florida," the tourism blog notes. Visitors to Honeymoon and Caladesi islands brought in almost $2.3 million, with a profit of $1.2 million. Related Coverage: Want more Dunedin news? Sign up for our free email newsletter or "like" us on Facebook!

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Tourist Development Council Seeking Applicants

Are you in the tourism industry? Applications are being accepted for four positions on Pinellas County's Tourist Development Council.

Applications are now being accepted for four-year appointments to Pinellas County’s Tourist Development Council.  The Tourist Development Council and staff of Visit St. Petersburg-Clearwater are responsible for making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on matters relating to the Tourist Development Tax. This tax is used to strengthen the local economy and increase employment through the ongoing promotion and development of Pinellas County’s tourism industry. Currently, four positions on the Tourist Development Council are open to individuals involved within the local tourism industry. Two of the open positions must be filled by owners or operators of hotels, motels, recreational vehicle parks or other tourist …

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Bay Area Beach Named One of Nation's Best

National Geographic has named a Tampa Bay area beach one of its Top 10 U.S. Family Beaches.

A local favorite has made another "best beaches" list, just in time for the holiday weekend. National Geographic named Siesta Key one of its Top 10 U.S. Family Beaches in a report last week. Coast Guard Beach in Massachusetts led the list, and Siesta Key came in at No. 6 nationally. In its report, the magazine cited kid-friendly amenities, beach activities, wildlife sightings and Siesta Key Village as reasons the beach made the list, specifically mentioning the Broken Egg, Old Salty Dog and Big Olaf's Creamery. Siesta Key also won local accolades last week on Patch's poll for Best Beach in the Tampa Bay Area, ultimately coming in second to Fort De Soto beach for the 2012 title. Clearwater Beach came in third in that poll, followed by Anna …

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What's the Best Beach in the Tampa Bay Area?

From Caladesi Island to Siesta Key, there are plenty of renowned beaches just a day trip away.

With Memorial Day weekend and its rising gas prices on the horizon, we're in luck: There are plenty of celebrated beaches within a one-tank trip of the Tampa Bay area. Which local beach is your favorite? Maybe it's Siesta Key, named best beach in the U.S. in 2011. Farther north, Fort De Soto beach and Caladesi Island took top honors in 2005 and 2008. Or maybe you prefer Anna Maria Island, St. Pete Beach or Clearwater Beach, which are perennial vacation favorites. Here's a rundown of some of the most popular coastal destinations in the greater Bay area — just follow the links below for directions and information. Cast your vote for your favorite beach in the poll below. Did we miss your favorite? Please let us know in the comments. About …

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Should Pinellas Trade the Rays for Tampa's Cruise Business?

A county commissioner has floated an idea that could benefit both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays across the bay in return for Tampa's cruise ship business.

Here's an interesting plot twist in the ongoing conversation about where the Tampa Bay Rays' next home should be. Hillsborough County commissioner Victor Crist threw out this idea, according to the Tampa Bay Times: Send the Rays to Hillsborough County in exchange for Tampa's cruise ship business. According to the Times, the newest cruise megaships are too large to squeeze under the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Hillsborough County is trying to figure out how to accommodate them, possibly with a new terminal outside Tampa. Meanwhile, the Rays have proposed to move out of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where they are currently contractually obligated to play through 2027. As reported in the Times, a coalition on the issue explored moving the …

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