provided to Santiva Chronicle
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce continues to keep the health and safety of its members in the forefront by scheduling membership meetings online. At the next meeting on Sept. 17, starting at noon, Dana Young, president and chief executive officer of Visit Florida, will speak about the current state of tourism from the perspective of Florida’s official destination marketing organization.
By recommendation of Gov. Ron DeSantis and unanimous approval by the Visit Florida Board of Directors, Young took the lead position on Jan. 7, 2019. A sixth-generation Floridian born and raised in Tallahassee, she previously served in the Florida House from 2010 through 2016, rising to Majority Leader for the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions. In 2016, Young was elected to the Florida Senate, where she represented parts of western Hillsborough County for two years. In addition to her current duties for Visit Florida, Young is a member of the U.S. Travel Association’s Chairman’s Circle.
“Throughout her career as a Florida attorney, Dana has served in leadership positions working to cultivate and protect Florida’s exceptional business climate and a world-class quality of life,” said John Lai, chamber president and chief executive officer. “She came to Visit Florida with a complete tool set for the position, and we look forward to hearing her expertise on the topic of where tourism is headed in the current pandemic climate.”
The chamber has sent members Zoom invitations to register for the virtual event and will be sending another closer to the date. When members RSVP, they will receive a link to the Zoom meeting in advance. Sponsorships are still available for the presentation. For information on becoming a sponsor or registering for the meeting, contact Ashley Pignato at ashley@sanibel-captiva.org. Participants can also send questions for Young to Pignato in advance or submit them during the meeting through the chat feature.
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 receives more than 1.3 million website visits per year.
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