Visit St. Pete/Clearwater (VSPC), the official tourism marketing and management organization for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, has appointed Brian Hilterbrandt as its new meetings and conventions sales manager for the Florida market. With over 25 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, Hilterbrandt brings his extensive knowledge and relationships to VSPC. He will begin his stint from August 16.
“I’m pleased to be joining the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater team, representing the most popular tourism destination on the Gulf of Mexico, home to America’s best beaches,” Hilterbrandt said in a press release. “I’m eager to hit the ground running in the destination’s top meetings market and continue to expand our reach in the state.”
Hilterbrandt has spent 28 years at Marriott International, spanning positions from director of sales and marketing to area sales manager, managing six hotel sales teams. His arrival comes on the heels of record-breaking visitation and the return of meetings business to St. Pete/Clearwater.
“Brian knows the Florida market inside and out, so he’ll be able to start having an immediate impact as we continue growing our sales presence in the state,” said Visit St. Pete/Clearwater CEO and President Steve Hayes in a written statement. “We understand the impact of the Florida market and feel Brian fits that role exactly.”
Situated on a peninsula separating the Gulf of Mexico from Tampa Bay, St. Pete/Clearwater offers "world-class" beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast, only 90 miles west from Orlando. The area has a burgeoning street art scene, while St. Pete’s Dalí Museum houses the largest collection of the surrealist’s works outside Spain.
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