Conference and convention activity are slated to start strongly as the new year begins, not only in the Tampa Bay area but in Sarasota as well.
Tampa Bay & Co. estimates that 17,000 people will attend meetings and conventions in Tampa Bay between Jan. 8 and Jan. 14, a release said. Those attendees could provide a boost to the region's economy, with total delegate spending estimated to reach $17.7 million.
One such event is the Florida Music Educators Association's Annual Convention. An estimated 6,500 educators will attend the event, generating 4,500 hotel room nights and an estimated $5.7 million in overall spending, according to Tampa Bay & Co.
In Sarasota, 600 medical professionals are expected to attend a one-day symposium on Parkinson's disease at Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Jan. 22. If that turnout is achieved, the event would be the nation's largest conference on Parkinson's.
Dr. J. William Langston, founder, CEO and scientific director of The Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, Calif., will headline a group of expert speakers. Those interested in attending can register at www.neurochallenge.org.
The Gulf Coast hospitality industry is hoping for a lot more of the same through the winter season.