Tourist Development Council Recommends Grant Approvals

Business owners know that repeat customers are the foundation of success. The same holds true for tourist development and one of Flagler County’s most dependable tourism partners is set to return for the 19th year bringing nearly 500 conference attendees and their families.

Continuing Education Co., a medical education organization, is hosting two week-long educational conferences at the Hammock Beach Resort in March and April. The Flagler County Tourist Development Council recently approved two $8,000 grants for the company’s spring conferences.

“They are one of our most repeated customers,” said Flagler County Tourism Director Amy Lukasik told TDC members. “They have been very important to our community and our tourism economy.”

Beth Townsend, director of compliance and programming for Continuing Education Co., said the grant money is used for a mailer brochure to promote the conferences.

“We love holding this meeting here in Flagler County,” she said. “The brochure helps bring in new people.”

Townsend said each conference brings in about 225 attendees and many bring their families along.

“They bring their families because we target this toward spring breaks,” she said. “We have 800 people each week including children.”

The TDC also approved a $10,000 grant for the Florida Elite Winter Invitational soccer tournament set for Jan. 25 and 26, 2025.

“This is a soccer tournament that will be held in a very important time of year, a slow time of year,” she said. “This is about 3,700 participants because that is including families.”

Lukasik said the even t brings in about 260 room nights are area hotels, which provides the funding for the TDC’s grant program.

The TDC also approved a special event marketing grant for the city of Palm Coast’s USTA Tennis Tournament scheduled for Jan. 13 to Feb. 2, 2025. The $5,000 grant will be used for marketing and promotional efforts.

“We’re happy they’re hosting an event at the new Southern Recreation Center,” Lukasik said.

Dennis Redican, Palm Coast recreation manger, said the event is expected to attract players from all over Florida as well as several foreign countries.

“There’s a lot of people involved in these type of events,” he said.

The grants require final approval from the Flagler County Commission.