Visit Pensacola Celebrates $1.3 Billion Tourism Impact, Welcomes New CEO and Board Leadership

Annual meeting highlights FY26 achievements and charts the organization's future under new leadership

Pensacola, Fla. – Visit Pensacola celebrated another strong year for Escambia County's tourism industry at its annual meeting, themed “Celebrating Our Impact. Building Our Future.” Bringing together community leaders, tourism partners, and industry professionals, the event highlighted tourism's continued contributions to the local economy while introducing Visit Pensacola's new President and CEO, Tony Lyle, and welcoming new leadership to its Board of Directors.

As Escambia County's official destination marketing organization, Visit Pensacola reflected on a year of accomplishments, including $1.3 billion in direct visitor spending, while looking ahead to new opportunities to strengthen the destination's tourism economy, support local businesses, and enhance residents' quality of life.

“I couldn't be more excited to step into this role at such an important time for Pensacola,” said Tony Lyle, President and CEO of Visit Pensacola. “There's tremendous momentum here, driven by an incredible team, strong industry partnerships, and a community that takes pride in what makes this destination unique. As we look to the future, I see so much opportunity to build on that foundation, elevate Pensacola's story, and continue growing tourism in ways that create lasting value for our visitors, businesses, and residents.”

As Visit Pensacola looks ahead to its next chapter, outgoing Board Chair Capt. Sterling Gilliam, USN (ret.), reflected on the organization's accomplishments, the dedication of its team, and the strong foundation in place for continued success.

“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of Visit Pensacola's Board of Directors and witness firsthand the dedication and passion of this incredible team,” said Capt. Sterling Gilliam, USN (ret.), outgoing Board Chair and Director of the National Naval Aviation Museum. “The accomplishments we're celebrating today are a direct reflection of their hard work and the strength of our tourism community. I'm especially proud of how this organization has navigated a period of transition without losing sight of its mission or commitment to Escambia County. With a talented team, strong partnerships, and new leadership in place, I'm confident Visit Pensacola's best days are still ahead.”

Fiscal Year 2026 by the Numbers

• Welcomed nearly 2.6 million visitors to the Pensacola Bay Area, driving $1.3 billion in direct spending and generating more than 2.6 million room nights, strengthening the local economy and supporting thousands of hospitality jobs.
• Generated more than $23.6 million in Tourism Development Tax collections, reflecting Pensacola's continued appeal as a leisure and group travel destination.
• Delivered nearly 953 million impressions across social media, website, public relations, and paid advertising efforts, sharing "The Way to Beach™" message with audiences worldwide.
• Reached more than 3.6 million visitors on VisitPensacola.com, generating over 9.1 million page views and more than $1.1 million in booking value through digital engagement.
• Grew total social media followers to more than 554,000 across nine channels, achieving over 75 million impressions and nearly 3 million engagements.
• Earned more than $8.4 million in media value through 109 consumer media placements across domestic and international outlets, generating more than 404 million media impressions.
• Hosted 25 press trips and partnered with 11 content creators, amplifying authentic storytelling about Pensacola's people, experiences, and sense of place.
• Generated more than $23.1 million in group bookings and $28.4 million in leads, participated in 19 trade shows, and trained 1,738 travel agents, strengthening Visit Pensacola's network of meeting planners and travel professionals.
• Expanded its network to 357 tourism partners, welcoming 26 new partners, generating more than 17,600 partner referrals and 721,000 partner listing views, and distributing 10,443 welcome bags to visitors.
• Enhanced digital storytelling on VisitPensacola.com through refreshed website content, immersive media, updated photography, new destination hubs, and expanded video blogs to improve the visitor experience and destination discoverability.

Continuing the momentum, incoming Board Chair Maria Goldberg shared her goals for the year.

“Pensacola has earned its place as a destination that visitors return to year after year, and there's still so much opportunity ahead,” said Maria Goldberg, incoming Chair of Visit Pensacola's Board of Directors. “As Chair, I'm excited to work alongside Tony and our fellow board members while continuing to build on our success. Together, we'll focus on strengthening our tourism industry, expanding opportunities for our partners, and ensuring that the growth of our destination translates into lasting benefits for the people and businesses of Escambia County.”

Serving on Visit Pensacola’s Board of Directors for fiscal year 2027 are:

For a full look at the past year, watch the video here. For pictures from this year’s annual meeting, tap here. For more information on how Tourism Works for Pensacola, visit www.visitpensacola.org.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola is the official destination marketing organization for Escambia County, representing Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, and Perdido Key. As America’s First Settlement, founded in 1559, and home to the #1 beach in the U.S., as voted by Condé Nast Traveler readers, the Pensacola Bay Area blends more than 465 years of history with nearly 40 miles of sugar-white sand and emerald Gulf waters. Visit Pensacola is responsible for building tourism as a key economic driver for Escambia County through destination marketing, visitor inspiration, and supporting the local hospitality community.