Pensacola, Fla. – National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry, will recognize the POWER OF TRAVEL and the industry’s role in bringing back our vibrant communities, restoring the U.S. economy, rebuilding our workforce and reconnecting America.

This year’s celebration will be a combination of both virtual and in-person events and will highlight those that have gone above and beyond in the hospitality and tourism industry.

“NTTW takes on a special significance this year as the travel industry looks to rebound from the pandemic and accelerate recovery efforts,” President and CEO Darien Schaefer said. “The past year was incredibly challenging, but we saw the full power of the travel industry on display in the way we united and supported one another.”

To honor those that have gone the extra mile this past year, Visit Pensacola would like to invite the community and the industry to nominate a Hospitality Hero and to attend the following events throughout the week to celebrate.

Monday, May 3: Coffee with the President, 8:30 a.m.
Visit Pensacola will kick off the week with a Virtual Q&A session with President and CEO Darien Schaefer. Members of the community are invited to participate virtually and can register here. Questions may be submitted early to Leslie White at lwhite@visitpensacola.com.

Tuesday, May 4: Celebrate the Industry with Takeout Tuesday
To give back to the industry, we’re encouraging the community to visit local restaurants on Tuesday for dine-in or take-out. Please show us your participation by posting on social media and tagging @visitpensacola with the hashtag #NTTW21. We’ll be sharing photos throughout the day, so make sure to post for a chance to be featured.

Wednesday, May 5: Hospitality Hero Award Ceremony & Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Bayview Community Center, 2000 E Lloyd Street, Pensacola, FL, 32503
Visit Pensacola will host its Hospitality Hero awards during the week’s annual luncheon. Hospitality Hero awards are dedicated to team members that go above and beyond to create the Pensacola Experience. Nominations are now open and will be accepted through Friday, April 23, 2021. Categories include attractions/venues, lodging, restaurant/dining, transportation, and shopping. To view the application, click here. To register for the luncheon, click here. Deadline to register for the luncheon is Monday, May 3, at 10 a.m.

Thursday, May 6: Virtual Travel & Tourism Workshop: 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Visit Pensacola will host a virtual travel and tourism workshop. Hear from both Visit Florida and Downs and St. Germain Research on the Power of Travel. To register, click here.

 

Thursday, May 6: Industry B.A.R.E Night: 4-6 p.m.
Perfect Plain Brewery, 50 E Garden Street, Pensacola, FL, 32502
Industry workers, this one’s for you! We’re excited to host a happy hour at Perfect Plain Brewery to celebrate your hard work this past year. The first drink is on us, on a first come, first serve basis until we run out of tickets. Make sure to bring your business cards to enter to win the week’s grand prize. After you celebrate with us, we encourage you to explore other happy hours throughout the destination. To explore daily happy hours, click here.  

Friday, May 7: Tourism Gives Back – Pensacola Beach Cleanup: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Gulf-side Pavilion at Casino Beach, 20 Casino Beach Blvd, Pensacola Beach, FL, 32561
Tourism Gives Back is a day for the industry and community to come together to contribute to the community that we know and love. This year, Visit Pensacola has partnered with the Santa Rosa Island Authority to host a beach cleanup on Pensacola Beach. Volunteers will receive a t-shirt and lunch on the day of the event. Those wanting to participate need to register by April 23. Register here.

Friday, May 7: Visitor Information Center Open House
Join Visit Pensacola Friday at the Visitor Information Centers for treats and an inside look at its day-to-day operations. New Insider Guides will be available to take home.

  • Pensacola Visitor Information Center: 1401 E Gregory Street, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Perdido Key Visitor Information Center: 15500 Perdido Key Drive, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Pensacola Beach Visitor Information Center: 7 Casino Beach Drive, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Staycation Grand Prize
To incentivize participation in NTTW, Visit Pensacola is excited to award a Staycation Grand Prize Package filled with an overnight beach stay, restaurant gift cards, attraction vouchers and more to our hospitality and tourism industry workers.  Each time you register and attend an event, you are entered for the grand prize.

Daily Promotional Contests
Visit Pensacola has partnered with Cat Country 98.7 and WEAR Channel 3 to give away 10 $100 gift cards to local restaurants. Tune in during the Cat Pack Morning Show at 8 a.m. and WEAR Channel 3 at 5 p.m. Monday, May 3 – Friday, May 7, for daily contests and further details. Visit Pensacola would like to extend a special thank you to our media partners WEAR Channel 3, Lamar Advertising, and Cat Country 98.7 for help in sharing the information.

All events are public and open to the media. Please email Nicole Stacey with any questions at nstacey@visitpensacola.com. For more information on National Travel and Tourism Week, visit www.visitpensacola.org.

About Visit Pensacola
Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration and communication.