Visit St. Pete-Clearwater says the Florida jurisdiction has forged an unbreakable bond with Toronto thanks in part to the destination’s having a half-century connection with one of the Ontario capital’s sporting teams.
Tourist board president Brian Lowack noted the Blue Jays, marking their 50th year this year, have conducted spring training in Dunedin — a Visit St. Pete-Clearwater destination — every year, with Dunedin having been the only community to have hosted the team for that annual gathering.
Dunedin routinely attracts Blue Jays fans from Ontario during spring training.
And Lowack adds many people from his part of the world are hugely supportive of the Blue Jays, thanks to the long ties between them.
“We call the Blue Jays our team as well,” he said while hosting travel industry personnel at a July 22 Blue Jays home game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “The ties and connections we have … across Canada are strong and long-lasting.”
“The Jays come to town and Dunedin turns blue and red.”
Dunedin saw celebrations this spring marking the 50-year connection between it and the Blue Jays.
Beaches are understandably a huge draw for Lowack’s Gulf of Mexico-fronting destination, with him noting that one of its beaches is regularly rated one of the top 5 beaches in the world.
But Lowack added that St. Pete-Clearwater — consisting of 24 communities — is “more than just beaches,” citing attributes that include Michelin-starred restaurants, and “incredible museums and recreational opportunities.”
The likes of Fort De Soto Park, and Honeymoon Island and Egmont Key State Parks will appeal to those who enjoy quiet time during their vacations, he continued.
Lowack said his jurisdiction has plenty of high-end luxury options for visitors but also noted there are a growing number of “mid-point” accommodation options, enabling visitors to have an economical stay.
Next year will see the opening of The Beachmaker hotel in Madeira Beach, which will have 171 guest units, nearly 30,000 square feet of retail and dining, four food-and-beverage concepts, marina access and elevated waterfront amenities.
Meanwhile, Lowack said his part of the world shouldn’t be viewed as a winter destination alone but rather as a year-round vacation retreat, citing different activities held throughout the year, including PGA golf tournaments, and next May the Ocean Race — billed as the “world’s premier around-the-world sailing competition” — will make St. Pete Clearwater its only North American stop. There will be a two-week waterfront festival coinciding with the arrival of the competitors before they depart for Portugal.
Some are calling the race “the toughest challenge in the world,” Lowack said.
