Marion County, FL
12/15/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/15/2025 06:59
Ocala/Marion County VCB Celebrates Record-Breaking Attendance at 3rd Annual Tourism Meeting
The Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau (VCB) successfully hosted its 3rd Annual Tourism Meeting this week at World Equestrian Center (WEC), drawing a record attendance of more than 500 community leaders, elected officials, and hospitality partners.
The event provided a platform to celebrate the industry's success and discuss strategies for future growth. The formal program focused on the mission to share the true heartbeat of tourism's impact. Not just economic numbers but the powerful stories, the enduring opportunities and the vibrant life it fuels for the Ocala/Marion County community.
The event featured three distinguished speakers who reinforced the critical role of tourism. Loretta Shaffer, Tourist Development Director for the Ocala/Marion County VCB, led the program and shared insights on the future of tourism in this destination, announcing a new advocacy campaign, "Made Possible By Visitors."
The campaign is designed to show residents that the community's quality of life-including local parks, theaters, and amenities-is directly supported by visitor spending. Shaffer also shared key insights into the VCB's current and future initiatives, including marketing strategies, infrastructure projects, and destination development plans aimed at further elevating Ocala/Marion County as a premier global destination.
Marion County, FL published this content on December 15, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on December 15, 2025 at 12:59 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]