Visit Sarasota County Invites U.S. Travel Association VP for Tourism Keynote

Global travel insights will get a local audience as Visit Sarasota County’s Indicators & Insights Summit welcomes Nicole Porter, VP of Political Affairs at the U.S. Travel Association, as its keynote speaker. Porter’s talk, scheduled for November 18 at 8 a.m. at the Carlisle Inn, will cover national and international tourism trends – from tariffs and TSA to America’s global travel brand – and their economic impact regionally in Florida. 

As Vice President of Political Affairs, Porter leads and develops all grassroots and political programs to bolster U.S. Travel’s advocacy efforts. Under Nicole’s leadership, U.S. Travel has raised more than $2 million for TravelPAC and the Advocacy Fund during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. These critical tools help ensure the travel industry maintains a strong voice in Washington and secure a lasting seat at the table on and off Capitol Hill. 

Following Porter’s keynote, Visit Sarasota’s research firm – Downs & St. Germain Research – will share the state of local tourism and peek into their crystal ball to forecast market trends heading into season and 2026. 

“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 at Visit Sarasota County. “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."

Joining Porter and Downs & St. Germain are three breakout speakers, each thought leaders of their own in event management, networking, and communications: 

• 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, CFRE, CEO of Amplify Connections Consulting, will provide tangible ways to level up team communication and service culture.

Also at Summit, Visit Sarasota will honor exemplary hospitality professionals who advance the industry and announce seven finalists for its annual Haley Hall of Fame Awards. 

Visit Sarasota’s Summit is generously sponsored by Siesta Wealth, LodgCo Hospitality, Sir Speedy Sarasota, Sarasota Herald-Tribune and LocaliQ, and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. 

Tickets are on sale now starting at $60 and include breakfast as well as all-day admission to the Summit. Group discounts are also available. For tickets and more information, visit https://visitsarasotacounty.ticketspice.com/visit-sarasota-county-indicators-insights-summit-2025 

About Visit Sarasota County

Visit Sarasota County (VSC) is the official tourism marketing entity and primary provider of visitor information for Sarasota County where tourism is the top industry. Through programs and partnerships, VSC makes Sarasota County a better place by promoting our community on the world stage. These efforts bring together over 500 partners to keep visitors coming, local businesses open and residents employed all year. VSC is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program, a program of the Destination Management Association International (DMAI). To learn more, visit www.visitsarasota.com. 

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