David Downing is interim executive director of Visit St. Pete Clearwater, the official tourism and marketing engine for Pinellas County. A former editor for Zagat Survey and Fodor’s Travel Publications, Downing joined the VSPC staff in 2007 as its director of public relations and was promoted to deputy director within 18 months.
Since he took office seven years ago, VSPC has nabbed national headlines and permeated advertising markets in New York, Chicago, Toronto and Latin America. In 2013, the organization launched a glossy magazine called Gulf to Bay. The publication, which has a worldwide circulation of 600,000 copies, has altogether replaced the area’s antiquated visitor’s guide.
In February, the New York Times singled out VSPC’s efforts to lure New Yorkers to Pinellas County beaches, validating Downing’s tireless efforts to let people know there’s more to the Sunshine State than Mickey and Miami.
To help drive brand recognition, VSPC has formed alliances with JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, Subway and Florida’s Natural orange juice. The organization is currently running a vacation giveaway on 14 million Florida’s Natural orange juice cartons.
The son of a high school teacher, Downing grew up one of nine siblings in Pinellas Point’s Pink Streets neighborhood. He got his B.A. in Journalism from Jacksonville University and his Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent 15 years in Manhattan working for the publishing industry before returning to his Florida roots.
Favorite view of the gulf: From an anchored boat.“I’m lucky. I have family and friends with boats. I get invited if I bring the booze and gas money. I like being on the water without having to get sandy.”
Favorite place to meet musicians: The Hideaway Café.“There’s an unpretentious depth of talent in this area. The musicianship in St. Pete is on par with New York. The Hideaway has quality open mic nights. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 16-year-old girl covering a Maroon 5 song or a 60-year-old guy playing piano.”
Favorite hidden bistro: Parts of Paris in Safety Harbor.“It feels like something you’d find in the Hamptons. It’s a really gorgeous bungalow in the middle of a neighborhood. They maintain an air of lightness and really pay attention to the people who are there.”
Favorite Gulfport staple: Pia’s Trattoria. “The place is tropical and Italian at the same time and the waiters know the menu and get excited about the specials.”
Favorite trendy restaurant for all ages: Alésia Restaurant. “I took my 88-year-old dad there. I told him we were having chicken sandwiches and soup. He didn’t know it was bánh mi and pho. He loved it and he’s been back with some of his friends.”
Favorite dive bar: Steve’s Tavern.“It’s the kind of place where you play pool and mind your p's and q's.”
Favorite place to hear new music: Ruby’s Elixir. “You never know what you’re going to hear. They get indie rockers, straight jazz players and acoustic singer/songwriters. It has a big city feel.”
Favorite place to take out-of-towners: The Veranda at the Vinoy. “There’s something about that view, looking at the city through those palm trees. It’s a 1920s gem that everyone who comes to St. Pete should visit.”
Favorite kitschy tourist attraction: Weeki Wachee Springs.“It’s a Florida roadside curio. You sit underground watching human mermaids swim in these beautiful springs. I read somewhere that Florida is the only state with mermaids on its payroll. I think that’s pretty amazing.”
Favorite daytrip: Florida Caverns State Park. “The caves are 69 degrees year-round with stalactites and stalagmites. They aren’t little podunk caves either. They’re pretty significant formations.”
Favorite easy escape: Sunken Gardens. “It is an anachronistic thing of the past. It is untouched, unadulterated old Florida. It’s cool without being cheeky.”
Favorite place to reflect: Skyspace by James Turrell at the Ringling Museum of Art.“In this day of digital everything it’s mind-blowingly hard to believe that something so simple can be so effective. Its magic is so subtle. [Turrell] plays with perspective, dimension and shape. It says a lot about a person if they can appreciate that space.”