Press Releases | Visit Pensacola

October 27, 2020

Visit Pensacola Annual Meeting Rescheduled to Nov. 9 Due to Inclement Weather

Meeting Free to Attend, RSVP by Friday, November 6 Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Pensacola, Fla.(Tuesday, Oct. 27) – Following the development of Tropical Storm Zeta, Visit Pensacola's annual meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, has been rescheduled to Monday, November 9. The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at Pensacola Blue Wahoo’s Stadium. The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by Friday, November 6. For those wishing to attend the meeting virtually, register here. This year's programming will follow a new format to allow for social distancing and adhere to…

October 23, 2020

Visit Pensacola Announces Interim President, Succession Plan

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Pensacola, Fla. (Wednesday, Oct. 23) – Visit Pensacola announced today that former county administrator Jack Brown will serve as the organization’s interim president. “Pensacola is home to me and what an exciting opportunity to be involved with an organization that plays such an important role in the community,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to working with the citizens of this community, Visit Pensacola stakeholders and partners and the destination’s future travelers.” As county administrator, Brown oversaw the day-to-day operations of county government, led the county’s 13 departments, recommended an annual…

September 19, 2020

Pensacola International Airport Sees Record-Breaking 2 Million Passengers

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Pensacola, Fla. (Thursday, Sept. 19) – More than 2 million passengers have passed through Pensacola International Airport this fiscal year, setting a record for passenger traffic at the airport. From October 2018 through August 2019, 2,025,273 passengers have arrived and departed at Pensacola International Airport, with approximately a month left until the fiscal year ends on Oct. 1. This breaks last year's record-setting year of 1,902,671 passengers at the end of the fiscal year. “Airports don’t create a demand for air service, airports meet demand for air service,” Airport Director Dan…

June 5, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #14 June 5, 2020

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: As we move into Phase 2 of Governor DeSantis reopening plan, Visit Pensacola will strive to remain a resource to our partners, and stakeholders with the most current updates. As we being Phase 2, our team will resume our weekly Flash Friday emails. Please be sure to utilize our calendar of events, and update your partner listings so we can provide the most up to date information. Phase 2: Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery Gov. Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-139 to begin today, June 5…

May 29, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #13

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: As May comes to a close, and we continue to reopen our community, Visit Pensacola will strive to remain a resource to our partners, and stakeholders with the most current updates. Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Begins Today. The 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, May 29, 2020, and extends through Thursday, June 4, 2020. During this sales tax holiday period, qualifying items related to disaster preparedness are exempt from sales tax. However, the sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of…

May 22, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #12

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: As our community reopens, Visit Pensacola strives to continue as a resource to our partners, stakeholders, and community with the most current updates. The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted Thursday, May 21, to amend Executive Order 20-6, creating Executive Order 20-8 regarding Escambia County public beaches. Effective Thursday, May 21 at noon, Escambia County Pensacola public beaches are now fully open to the public. Camping on the beach is not allowed per county ordinance 74-36 and consistent with the “Leave No Trace” protections for nesting sea…

May 15, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #11

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: Visit Pensacola strives to continue as a resource to our partners, stakeholders, and community with the most current updates. As our community begins to reopen, we are asking that our partners and stakeholders participate in the Escambia County Phase One Reopening Florida Business Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F9GYMLZ This survey will help to share updated data with local officials and policymakers and will help to develop plans and programs to continue recovery assistance. Our team has also created a “While You Are Here” landing page as we transition from virtual back…

May 8, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #10

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: What a week its been as our community starts to slowly reopen and our team shared the very first virtual National Travel and Tourism Week. Visit Pensacola strives to continue as a resource to our partners, stakeholders, and community with the most current updates. Thank you to our tourism industry, hospitality workers and the community for joining us this week as we celebrated National Travel and Tourism Week. This national campaign is the annual event that encourages the hospitality and tourism industry to come together and celebrate just…

May 1, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #9

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: As each week passes and our community begins to reopen, Visit Pensacola strives to continue as a resource to our partners, stakeholders, and community with the most current updates. Per Governor DeSantis’s new executive order, phase one of the reopen plan will begin in Florida and Pensacola on Monday, May 4.Per this order, the following will occur: Escambia County will follow Executive Order 20-111 and Executive Order 20-112, announced yesterday by Gov. DeSantis. Executive Order 20-111 and Executive Orders 20-112 extend Executive Orders 20-87 (vacation rental closures) until…

April 30, 2020

Visit Pensacola Set to Lead Virtual National Travel and Tourism Week Celebration May 3–9

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Pensacola, Fla. – National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with this year's theme: The Spirit of Travel. Now more than ever, the travel and tourism community must come together, support each other and remind our country that even through the most challenging times, the Spirit of Travel cannot be broken. "Although we can't meet in person, we can stay connected, unified and supportive of each other from…

April 24, 2020

Visit Pensacola COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update #8

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Dear Tourism Stakeholder: I am your new President/CEO, Darien Schaefer, and am finishing up my first week here in Pensacola. I am very excited to join Visit Pensacola and to promote one of the best beach destinations in the nation. I understand this is a challenging time for the Pensacola area and will remain focused on helping the tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic as quickly as possible. I am looking forward to meeting and working with partners, stakeholders, and the Pensacola community. As each week passes and these unchartered…

April 20, 2020

Visit Pensacola Welcomes President and CEO Darien Schaefer

Media Contact: Nicole Stacey Visit Pensacola (850) 434-2142 nstacey@visitpensacola.com Pensacola, Fla. (April 20, 2020) – Visit Pensacola is pleased to welcome its President and CEO, Darien Schaefer. Schaefer joins the team from Visit Big Bear in Big Bear Lake, Calif. where he served as CEO for the past three years. He brings to the team over 20 years of destination marketing experience, including his most recent roles as CEO of VISIT Lake Geneva and Executive Director of the Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB and Sports Authority. “I'm very excited to join Visit Pensacola and work with its excellent staff to promote one…