Gasparilla and Tourism Marketing in Tampa FL
Gasparilla season be upon us, and from the months o’ January t’ March we each embrace our inner Buccaneer, celebrating the days of thee ol’ legendary pirate, José Gaspar.
Welcome to the start of the year in Tampa. While our city embraces the daily grind, that doesn’t mean it’s all work and no play. Tampa knows how to party. Gasparilla is not only a fun time for residents to act like crazy pirates that have taken over the city but also an opportunity for Tampa marketing firms and other organizations to capitalize on the influx of people.
The History
According to Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, the celebration’s origins date back to 1904, when Miss Louise Francis Dodge, society editor of the Tampa Tribune, and George W. Hardee, together worked with local government officials to come up with creative ways to promote Tampa and its May Day celebration. This led to secret meetings, where local business leaders came together to plan a mock pirate invasion in memory of José Gaspar, “the last Buccaneer,” to surprise local residents. This was the beginning of Ye Mystic Krewe, a group that continues to keep Gasparilla festivities alive and to this very day.
Anyone who has been to both Tampa’s Gasparilla and New Orleans’ Mardi Gras will likely notice similarities between the two events. Both involve the wearing of elaborate costumes, the throwing of beads and, perhaps most noteworthy, excessive (but legal) debauchery. In fact, Gasparilla has origins that stem from New Orleans, as the first Gasparilla costumes were rented from the Louisiana city. Gasparilla just happens to be all about pirates.
The first Krewe arrived on horseback and “captured the city” during the festival parade on May 4, 1904. The city of Tampa has upheld the tradition, holding a celebration almost every year since the original “invasion.”
Gasparilla Today
Today, Krewe members promote Gasparilla and local tourism by attending several events throughout the year. Gasparilla festivities include art, film and music festivals, a half-marathon and parades, and takes place during the heart of Tampa’s winter tourism season. While officials have a difficult time determining the exact number of people Gasparilla brings in, or where they are from, one thing is for sure, the numbers are definitely up. According to Visit Tampa Bay’s Strategic Plan for 2017, January through March marks the busiest season for tourism in the Tampa Bay area, with the top three activities being fine dining, shopping and attractions. The local tourism industry brings over $5.6 billion into the economy annually, with Gasparilla making up an average of $23 million of that number.
Gasparilla Tourism and Tampa Marketing
How do local businesses capitalize on this invasion of people during Gasparilla season? Companies like the Mini Doughnut Factory and Topgolf extended their digital marketing reach by including “#Gasparilla” with their Facebook posts. Other businesses, like Coca-Cola and B4 Beverage Company, distributed drinks at the Gasparilla parades this year. Uber offered a map with pick up location suggestions to make it easy to catch a ride after the festivities ended. Regardless, what’s most important is providing value for your customers in a way that is in alignment with the Gasparilla theme.
At Diace Designs, we love helping companies enhance their marketing strategies. If you’re interested in working with our special team of Tampa marketing pirates, please contact us today.
