After a historic few weeks here in Pinellas County our thoughts are with all of you as you work to recover, personally and professionally. We are in awe of the work you have done on behalf of your member businesses and the updates you have provided to the CVB. These updates were critical as we worked to understand what was happening on the ground in our communities. We are here to let you know that we are “Still Shining” as a destination and we will work together to become stronger on the other side.

* In the past weeks St. Pete-Clearwater community weathered historic Hurricanes as first Helene and then Milton targeted the Florida Gulf Coast.

* Each new day the sun rises on our community, highlighting our unmatchable energy and indomitable spirit - together, with each other, and especially with our visitors - we are Still Shining.

* Much of our destination has been able to re-open their doors quickly, including many top attractions such as the Dali Museum and other art and cultural experiences, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, as well as many of our exceptional downtown dining options, and more. Along with the waterfront, nationally recognized attractions such as the St. Pete Pier, Hubbard’s Marina, and Get Up and Go Kayaking are ready to get our visitors out on our emerald green water.

* We also have incredible events and festivals on the horizon, including the SHINE Mural Festival and Annika LPGA Golf Tournament, starting next month.

* At the same time, our award-winning beaches and waterfront communities, which saw historic storm surge during Hurricane Helene, are in need of a little more time to fully recover. While some destinations, such as Clearwater Beach, are making final preparations to welcome back visitors soon, some of our smaller beach communities are still working feverishly to follow suit as quickly as possible.

* We look forward to sharing the continued growth across our social and digital channels with each passing day and week.

* There is definitely no need to cancel your plans, just know that St. Pete-Clearwater is working hard to deliver an amazing experience for our visitors while simultaneously supporting our residents and local businesses that continue to recover.

* Anyone with trips or groups booked should check in with their accommodations to get their most up-to-date information.

* This has been a rare year in the Tampa Bay area to be impacted directly by hurricanes, something that hadn’t happened in more than 100 years.

St Pete Pier

Tropicana Field

             Imagine Museum               World Collection of Glass Art

The Dali Museum