Welcome Back
Really, it never left. After being cancelled due to COVID one year, and virtual next, the State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida will return, in person, to the RP Funding Center in 2022. The March event draws thousands from across the state to Lakeland each year for an estimated $1.2 million economic impact.
Also back in full swing is Primerica. After cancelling two larger events in 2020, they returned this year with a smaller event in January. After the success of the January event, they booked three larger conferences with an eye toward more.
“It is only normal to see event organizers a little hesitant right now,” said Al Snow, PCTSM’s Convention, Meeting and Events lead. “As a whole, the meetings and conventions market is testing the waters now, before jumping back in.”
The three Primerica Leaderships Conferences, with roughly 800 to 900 attendees per conference, bring an estimated economic impact of more than $2 million combined. The conferences are set for October 2021 as well as January and May in 2022.
Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing’s Joni Allen also received a warm welcome – back to Osh Kosh, Wisconsin.
The 2021 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh ran from Monday, July 26 to Sunday, Aug. 1. The largest air show in the world, Allen joined the team from the SUN n’ FUN Aerospace Expo.
“SUN n’ FUN staff are there to tell people about the Aerospace Expo, and about the area,” said Allen. “I’m there to make sure attendees and exhibitors stay in Polk County.”
Her annual visit to Oshkosh – this was the 17th year PCTSM has partnered with SUN n’ FUN for the event – was sandwiched by visits to travel agencies in both the Boston and Ohio areas.
“We partnered with the Beaches of Fort Myers, visiting 22 travel agencies in 18 cities in and around the Boston area. In Ohio, we made 23 stops at travel agencies and AAA offices in 11 cities,” said Allen. “In both places, Florida remains their clients number-one destination.”