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Sebring tourism leaders outline plan to turn HGTV exposure into sustained county visitation
Summary
Casey Hart and consultant Shelly Phelps told the Sebring City Council they are shifting from short‑term publicity to regional collaboration, hospitality training and niche events aimed at converting HGTV attention into longer stays and shoulder‑season revenue.
Casey Hart, Highlands County’s tourism director, told the Sebring City Council on June 16 that the county is moving beyond short‑term visibility from HGTV to build lasting tourism capacity across three downtowns. “We didn't wanna just drive in and drive back out,” Hart said, describing a new regional approach that aims to get visitors to stay longer and spend locally.
Consultant Shelly Phelps, who has worked on past HGTV seasons, told councilors the priority is community alignment and leadership engagement. “A TV show can't save a town,” Phelps said. She described creating a regional leadership team, stakeholder listening sessions and a hospitality‑training curriculum backed by the Tourist Development Council to make residents and businesses better ambassadors for Highlands County.
Phelps and Hart said the strategy includes targeted campaigns and product development for shoulder seasons. Hart noted local businesses identified August and September as slow months; the tourism office is exploring a countywide gardening‑themed event and linked itineraries across Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid to draw visitors in those months. Hart said the tourism office is funded by the county’s tourist development tax and aims to use marketing and a downloadable guide to promote multi‑city visits.
The presenters also highlighted partnerships with local consultants and media firms and said Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrado will speak in Sebring on Oct. 13 at the Jack Stroup Civic Center as part of workforce and hospitality planning. Council members thanked the presenters and said they supported continuing regional coordination.
Why it matters: Councilors said sustaining visitor interest from a TV appearance requires coordinated marketing, workforce training and events that keep dollars in the county. The presentation lays out specific next steps — hospitality classes, cross‑city itineraries and a new shoulder‑season product — that the tourism office and TDC plan to implement.
