Good data helps all of us better understand the story our economy is telling. For four consecutive months from May through August, Sarasota County has seen year-over-year increases in both visitation and visitor spending. In August alone, a total economic impact neared $145 million, close to $9 million more than 2025.

These metrics are encouraging news for the hundreds of businesses and more than 20,000 people whose livelihoods directly contribute to and are supported by our visitor economy. However, they also raise a natural question that locals are rightfully asking: what does this momentum mean for me heading into peak season?

While we do not have a crystal ball on hand in our office, fortunately, we have something far more practical: data and access to thought leaders to help translate it into action.

For decades, our tourism team at Visit Sarasota County has invested in research – thanks to funding approved annually by the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners – using increasingly sophisticated tools that give a window into how visitors spend their time and money while here.

We believe this information only enriches decision making and should be readily available to businesses and residents just as much as our elected officials. Practicing what we preach, we publish reports weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually on VisitSarasotaCountyTransparency.com, accessible to anyone and everyone curious about how tourism is working for you.

Forecasting is not certainty, however. Our local numbers tell us when demand is growing, where gaps exist, and how travel patterns are changing, offering us clues to decipher where we may be going.

Yet often, there isn’t one trend or one market that tells the whole story, so understanding the full picture requires us to look beyond our own coast.

That’s why on November 19, we are bringing together some 200 business leaders and government representatives for our annual Indicators & Insights Summit at Art Ovation Hotel. We’ve invited leaders from VISIT FLORIDA, CoStar Group, and the Sports Events & Tourism Association, alongside our longtime research partners at Downs & St. Germain Research, to help put Sarasota County’s performance into context.

Together, these executive-level keynotes will examine the forces shaping travel at the local, state, and national levels and, top of mind for our community, consider what this spells for season.

Now in its third year, our Summit challenges usto look beyond the question of “how many more visitors can we attract?” to ask better questions. Questions like: How can our hospitality businesses prepare the workforce for changing demand? How do we remain competitive while preserving what made our destination unique in the first place? And how we can ensure tourism remains a quality-of-life multiplier?

Those questions require data just as much as they require people. In that spirit, our Summit will also recognize eight individuals and businesses through our Haley Hall of Fame Awards for exemplary contributions to our industry and community well-being. Our lips are sealed on who our finalists are, but I can share we received more than 140 nominations, each representing someone who makes Sarasota County a better place to live and visit. So, we hope you’ll join us for the insights and stay for the celebration.

What happens nationally affects Florida, what happens across Florida affects Sarasota County, and what we see locally can tell us a great deal about where the industry is heading. But no forecast can tell us precisely what the next season will bring. That’s the thing about good stewardship, though: it’s less about predicting every turn and more about paying attention to the signs, bringing more perspectives to the table, and preparing thoughtfully for what comes next. If you’d like a say and stake in that future, we’ll see you at Summit.

Erin Duggan is the President & CEO of Visit Sarasota County.