Sarasota County's tourism bureau picked up two national honors from the meetings and events industry, adding momentum as the region rebuilds from a down year in visitor spending.

Visit Sarasota County won Best Waterfront CVB/DMO and Best Beach CVB/DMO in the 2026 Smart Stars Awards, the county's destination marketing organization announced Thursday. Smart Meetings, the trade publication behind the awards, covers 41 categories spanning destinations, venues, hotels, airlines and suppliers. Winners are chosen through nominations, voting and firsthand reviews by working meeting planners nationwide.

Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County, said the two wins reflect the county's pitch to conference planners: beach access paired with meeting infrastructure.

The awards mark the bureau's third Smart Meetings honor in seven months. Visit Sarasota County received the publication's Platinum Choice Award in December. Other 2026 Smart Stars winners include Visit Anaheim, which won Best CVB/DMO, and New Orleans & Co., which won Best Cosmopolitan CVB/DMO, according to the Smart Meetings winners page published June 1.

The recognition lands as Sarasota County works to rebuild tourism numbers after a difficult 2025 fiscal year. Total tourism economic impact fell to $3.6 billion that year, down 10.5% from fiscal year 2024, largely because of hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported in December. Tourism still supports more than 20,000 local jobs and accounts for 15% of employment in the county, according to Visit Sarasota County's fiscal year 2026 scope of services document.

Taxes paid by visitors save each Sarasota County household $5,831 annually in local taxes, according to the Herald-Tribune's reporting.

In a December interview with the Herald-Tribune, Duggan described tourism as "the front porch of economic development," saying a good visit can inspire someone to relocate a business or invest in the county.

Visit Sarasota County operates as a public-private partnership funded by a portion of the county's Tourist Development Tax and private investments from about 500 industry partners. The bureau courts meeting planners through its dedicated site, SarasotaMeetings.com, offering incentives based on room nights booked and concierge services for groups.