provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB), will be the guest speaker at the March 10 virtual business meeting of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce, starting at noon.
Since 2010, Pigott has overseen the promotion of The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel as a travel destination to targeted domestic and international visitors, including vacationers and business travelers. She is responsible for the strategic planning of domestic and international sales and marketing efforts and supervising the day-to-day operations of the VCB’s local staff and international consultants at offices in Washington, D.C., the Midwest, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France.
A graduate of Florida State University, Pigott holds a bachelor of science degree in economics and political science and a master of science degree in political science. Her experience includes work as a research analyst and vice president of local research companies, analyzing the economic feasibility of local developments and business opportunities. In addition, she has held the positions of Beach & Shoreline project manager and deputy director with the VCB.
Pigott was elected to chair the board of director for the Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations in 2013. In 2015, she earned the tourism industry’s highest educational achievement, the Certified Destination Management Executive designation from Destination Marketing Association International.
Pigott has also served on a variety of Visit Florida marketing committees, including international, advertising, and promotions. Visit Florida is the state’s official tourism marketing agency.
“Pigott has skillfully led local tourism efforts through good times and bad,” said John Lai, chamber president and chief executive officer. “She is a highly respected figure in the industry, and we eagerly await her assessment of the current Lee County tourism outlook as we move deeper into our winter season.”
The Sanibel-Captiva chamber will send its members Zoom invitations to register for the virtual event. When members RSVP, they will receive a link to the Zoom meeting in advance. The chamber currently seeks a sponsor for the meeting. For more information about sponsorship and registering for the March business meeting, contact Lai at john@sanibel-captiva.org.
ABOUT SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. With over 560 active Chamber members from both islands including businesses from Lee and Collier counties, the Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. The Francis P. Bailey, Jr. Chamber Visitor Center is located at the entrance to Sanibel Island and welcomes over 160,000 visitors each year. VISIT FLORIDA named the Visitor Center one of thirteen official Florida Certified Tourism Information Centers. The Visitor Center is open 365 days a year and provides visitors with comprehensive information about things to do, places to visit, where to stay, shop and dine. The Chamber website http://sanibel-captiva.org receives more than 1.3 million website visits per year.
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