Visit Sarasota launches campaign marketing keys

Visit Sarasota has launched a multi-pronged marketing campaign to promote the keys in Sarasota County as a destination. The campaign will run on social media and through digital ads from mid-March through early summer.

“March is traditionally the busiest month of ‘tourism season’ – and our aim with this campaign is to keep our region’s elevated sense of hospitality top-of-mind and our businesses first-in-line to welcome the tens of thousands of visitors who choose our community as their home away from home,” Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County, says in a statement.

Sarasota County welcomed almost 160,000 visitors who stayed in paid accommodations in March 2024, tourism officials say. About 80% of tourists visited the beach during their stay.

Part of the goal of the campaign is to provide a boost for the barrier islands following the hurricanes.

“After months of resilience and rallying, Sarasota County’s barrier islands are in a strong place and ready to welcome visitors,” Duggan says, introducing the “Keys are Calling” campaign.

From March through early summer, Visit Sarasota County plans to run social media storytelling campaigns and digital ads that feature “hidden gems and longtime favorites,” from Lido and Longboat to Siesta, Casey and Manasota keys as well as the island of Venice. The intent is to “promote county-wide exploration for tourists and residents alike,” according to Visit Sarasota.

Digital ads will run in a variety of "drive markets" (Atlanta, Tampa/St. Pete, Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne, Miami/Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers/Naples) in addition to “fly markets” (Boston; New York; Chicago; Philadelphia; Columbus; Baltimore; Indianapolis; Pittsburgh; Cleveland; Detroit; Washington, D.C.; Hartford/New Haven), according to Hunter Carpenter, spokesperson for Visit Sarasota.

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Visit Sarasota is working with local influencers and content creators as well as businesses to fuel its campaigns, according to Carpenter. The spotlight is on beaches, shops, restaurants and surrounding experiences.

“We want our local businesses – especially those on the keys and barriers islands – to know that Visit Sarasota County is actively promoting them, even as some may still be recovering or are surrounded by businesses in recovery,” Carpenter says. “Our goal remains to support and showcase them during this time, particularly as perception issues about storm damage persist at a national level. Instead of focusing on the storms, we’re reminding travelers why they fell in love with Siesta Key, Longboat Key, and beyond in the first place, with upbeat, visually engaging content that highlights the fun, beauty, and experiences of Sarasota’s islands.”

Tourism officials also say they are looking to build on the recent momentum around Siesta and Longboat keys, both of which received media accolades in recent months; Siesta Beach was named the No. 4 beach in the world by TripAdvisor, Longboat Key was No. 1 on Travel + Leisure’s 10 best islands to visit in the South list, and Forbes also recognized Longboat Key on its Top 12 Destinations for 2025 list.

Visit Sarasota reports it is using funds from a Visit Florida grant and the Tourist Development Tax to cover its campaign, which will cost more than $230,000 and translate into dollars spent in the local economy; in March 2024, visitors generated more than $232.64 million in direct expenditures in Sarasota County.