Visit Sarasota County Summit to Explore 2027 Tourism Outlook

SARASOTA, Fla. – (October 8, 2026) – Sarasota County’s annual state-of-the-tourism-industry event, the Indicators & Insights Summit, returns on Thursday, November 19, at Art Ovation Hotel. Hosted by Visit Sarasota County, the event invites four leading voices to look into the proverbial crystal ball and help local business leaders understand the trends, behaviors, and economic conditions expected to shape the region’s top industry in 2027.  

This year’s speaker lineup features:

• Bryan Griffin, President & CEO of VISIT FLORIDA
• John David, STS, President & CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA)
• Joseph St. Germain, Ph.D., President & Partner at Downs & St. Germain Research
• Chantal Wu, Senior Director of Hospitality Market Analytics at CoStar Group

“When you look at the tourism industry today, there isn’t one trend or one market that tells the whole story,” said Erin Duggan, President and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. “What happens nationally affects Florida, what happens across Florida affects Sarasota County, and what we see locally can tell us a great deal about where the industry is heading. This year’s Summit brings those perspectives together in one room so our local business community can walk away with meaningful research and resources they can use heading into the new year.”

The Indicators & Insights Summit is a forum for hospitality leaders, businesses, and interested residents to discuss the broader role tourism plays in strengthening communities. By building a place people want to visit, tourism also builds a place where people want to live, work and invest – a cycle that the Summit and speakers will explore on stage in front of 200 anticipated guests. 

During the program, Visit Sarasota County will also announce eight finalists for its annual Haley Hall of Fame Awards, honoring exemplary hospitality professionals who are helping advance the industry.

The event is sponsored by the Art Ovation Hotel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune/LocaliQ, Oysters Rock Hospitality, Siesta Wealth, Sir Speedy, and Willis Smith Construction. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. 

Tickets are on sale now starting at $75 and include breakfast, with early bird pricing available through October 23, 2026. For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit https://bit.ly/VSCSummit. 

SPEAKER BIOS

Bryan Griffin, President & CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, brings a statewide perspective to the Summit. A Tampa native, Griffin has a career spanning communications, marketing and advocacy, including previous leadership of the communications team for the Executive Office of the Governor. He is also a lawyer, published author, and pilot.

John David, STS, President & CEO of Sports ETA, provides a national perspective on the growing sports tourism sector and its role in destination and economic development. Since taking the helm of Sports ETA in 2023, David has led the association through record growth in membership, engagement, partnerships and industry influence. Prior to Sports ETA, he spent 25 years with USA BMX, helping grow the organization into the world’s largest BMX sanctioning body and playing a leadership role in the sport’s Olympic growth in the United States.

Joseph St. Germain, Ph.D., President/Partner at Downs & St. Germain Research, turns the focus to tourism research and the trends shaping Sarasota County and destinations across the country. St. Germain specializes in translating complex survey and behavioral data into actionable insights and has extensive experience in visitor tracking, resident sentiment, brand perception, workforce research, and economic impact analysis.

Chantal Wu, Senior Director of Hospitality Market Analytics at CoStar Group, offers insight into the hospitality market and economic conditions across the Southeast. Wu’s career includes leadership roles in investments and development at Auro Hotels as well as experience with Davidson Hospitality Group, IHG and PKF Consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University.

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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 more than 450 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.