Visit Gainesville, Alachua County

Alachua County is proud to have been selected as the host destination for the 2025 Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Policy and Innovation Day fall conference. The innovation portion of the event is held the day before FAC’s policy meetings and is an opportunity for the host county to showcase projects, programs, and services unique to its community. Alachua County will become the 6th county to host FAC Innovation Day, a FAC annual meeting tradition since 2018. #whyilovegainesville #whatsgoodalachuacounty #gainesvilleflorida

Champions Welcome Here! Alachua County Delegates Travel to Sweden to Promote 2025 World Masters Athletics Indoor Track and Field Championships Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman, Tourism Development Director Jessica Layne Hurov, and members of the local organizing committee recently traveled to Sweden to showcase Alachua County to international athletes and to meet with track and field governing bodies in advance of the upcoming WMA Indoor Championship, scheduled for March 2025 at the Alachua County Sports and Event Center at Celebration Point. The international event attracted thousands of athletes from around the world, providing local representatives with a prime opportunity to position Alachua County as a premier destination for both training and competition, strengthening sports partnerships and driving international visitation. #WMAiC25 #sportstourism #whatsgoodalachuacounty #whyilovegainesville #gainesvillefl #alachuacounty Alachua County BoCC Human Resources

Alachua County Tourism Office Wins Top Industry Award Alachua County is pleased to announce that the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau's (VCB) "Sippin' Seven Alachua County Ale Trail" digital passport marketing campaign has earned the state's highest honor, the "Henry Award," in the category of Niche Marketing at the 2024 Florida Governor's Conference on Tourism’s, Visit Florida Flagler Award ceremony. Named for Henry Flagler, the Flagler Awards recognize outstanding tourism marketing in Florida and honor individuals and organizations who help maintain and improve Florida's position as one of the world's most popular travel destinations. A panel of judges evaluated and scored nearly 260 entries submitted in 18 different categories. The highest-scoring entry in each category receives the coveted Henry Award. "The Alachua County Ale Trail was designed to leverage a key tourism asset and elevate Alachua County's reputation as a top craft brewery destination,” said Tourism Development Director Jessica Hurov. “This award reflects the collective efforts of our team and the support of our Tourist Development Council in boosting the local economy through increased visitor spending while highlighting all that Alachua County has to offer.” Liz Reyes, Alachua County’s tourism development manager and campaign manager, and Bailey?McClellan,?the tourism program coordinator, are pictured above at the Tampa event accepting the award from Visit Florida CEO Dana Young. "The Sippin' Seven Alachua County Ale Trail digital passport campaign is a testament to the excellence of our area businesses and to the strong collaborative effort forged during the campaign between the VCB and our county's award-winning craft breweries," Reyes said. The Sippin' Seven Alachua County Ale Trail digital passport campaign drove 15,600 documented visits to Alachua County craft breweries. Pass holders represented 18 different states and Canada, and approximately 53% of pass holders were from outside of Alachua County. "It is an honor to have Florida's tourism industry leaders recognize the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureaus efforts," said Alachua County Commissioner and Chair of the Tourist Development Council Marihelen Wheeler. "I am so proud of Jessica, her talented staff, and all of our tourism partners for earning this prestigious recognition and for their creative celebration of local culture through their effective initiatives." VISIT FLORIDA #VisitFlorida #lovefl #whyilovegainesville #gainesvillefl #whatsgoodalachuacounty #sippinseven #aletrail #craftbrewery #floridatourism #florida #alachuacounty

Join Us in Welcoming Tracy Bachmann to the VCB Team! Visit Gainesville, Alachua County's new Tourism Marketing Coordinator, Tracy Bachmann, brings over 25 years of expertise in graphic design, marketing, and communication to the tourism team. As the former owner of Waymaker Communications, Tracy has delivered impactful results to local Alachua County clients, such as First Magnitude Brewing Company, the City of Gainesville, and Gator Boosters.

Our team had the pleasure of attending the Florida Agritourism Association Conference and we were honored to sponsor this incredible event! It was a fantastic opportunity to support and connect with Florida's dedicated agritourism operators. We gained valuable insights, made meaningful connections, and left feeling inspired by the innovative ideas shared by so many passionate individuals. Did you know: Florida's agriculture, natural resources and related industries provide 2 million jobs and $76.5 billion in value added impacts annually, making agriculture critical to Florida’s economy. #visitgainesville #whatsgoodalachuacounty #whyilovegainesville #floridafarms #floridaagriculture #farmflorida #agritourism #visitfloridafarms #FATA24 FLORIDA AGRITOURISM ASSOCIATION INC

Exciting News! The Visit Gainesville, Alachua County team is honored to have assisted Florida Farm & Family Magazine in featuring the charming town of Waldo, Florida in their Fall 2024 issue. Check out Page 22 to discover the rural retreat and hidden gem of Alachua County - Waldo, Florida. From its rich heritage to its picturesque landscapes, there's so much to explore and enjoy! Click the link to read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dMzamNNb #visitgainesville #whatsgoodalachuacounty #alachuacounty #floridafarms #freshfromflorida #visitflorida #loveflorida #floridaagriculture #agriculture

Thank you for the great response to the Alachua County 200th anniversary survey. If you haven't yet, there is still a week left to respond. The county turns 200 years old on Dec. 29, 2024, and we want to hear from you. As we plan how, what and who we celebrate, we want to know what you think makes Alachua so special. Please take a few moments to complete the resident survey and share your thoughts on the upcoming celebrations. Your feedback will help shape the bicentennial celebration and ensure it truly reflects the spirit of our community. We also encourage residents, local businesses, churches and organizations to share the survey on their social media accounts. After completing the survey, share this post with your friends! The deadline to submit answers is noon Aug. 5. https://lnkd.in/eJWpJbnk

Sports Destination Management recently featured Alachua County's world-class Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe and Champions Park in Newberry, Florida. The Alachua County Sports & Events Center will soon host the 2025 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships (WMACi25). ?This will be the first time this international competition is hosted in the United States, giving Alachua County the honor putting North Central Florida on the world stage. Joleen Cacciatore,CSEE Gainesville Sports Commission #WMACi25 #worldmastersathletics #visitgainesville #gainesvillefl #whatsgoodalachuacounty #sportstourism

Alachua County’s Orange Lake Makes List of Top Ten Bass Fishing Lakes in the Country Orange Lake is the centerpiece of one of the most picturesque vistas just south of Gainesville, Florida. This beauty just made the list of the Top 10 Best Bass Lakes in the country by Bassmaster Magazine. The selection was backed with research of actual fish caught, fish weight, and more, as compared to other top locations. This year, it was the only Florida lake on the list and the highest ranked in the Southeast. #floridafishing #visitflorida #whatsgoodalachuacounty #gainesvillefl #visitgainesville #alachuacounty #lovefl

Make sure to stop by our booth at the Florida Society of Association Executives trade show and say hello to Bailey McClellan and Radha Uzcategui! They’ll be there with all the destination knowledge you need. Keep an eye out for our little gators hidden throughout the conference… you never know where they might be hiding! ?? A big THANK YOU to our incredible community partners for their generous donations to the Visit Gainesville, Alachua County FSAE Silent Auction Basket! Bid on our basket for a chance to win incredible donations from Florida Museum of Natural History , Kanapaha Botanical Gardens , Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention , and Sweetwater Organic Coffee Company. #fsae24 #visitgainesville #alachuacounty #whatsgood #gainesvillefl