Sports ETA Recognizes Two Florida Sports Industry Partners as 2026 Award Winners for Excellence in Marketing

Sports ETA, the national trade association for the sports events tourism industry, announced the winners of its 2026 Member Awards for Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year and Event Marketing Campaign of the Year. The awards, presented by Team Travel Source, recognize outstanding marketing initiatives that elevate destinations, engage communities and demonstrate the economic power of sports tourism.

While four national award winners were recognized in two population categories, under 500,000 and 500,000 and above, two featured Florida Sports Industry Partners.

Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year
Population 500,000 and Above: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Florida

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Miami Beach were recognized for Wake Up to a New March, an innovative campaign repositioning Miami Beach as a destination for fitness, wellness and outdoor recreation during the traditional spring break season.

Through creative storytelling, digital advertising and promotion of athletic experiences, including Wodapalooza, the campaign introduced a new narrative around Miami Beach’s spring travel season. The initiative generated nearly 28 million paid media impressions and an estimated $15.9 million in hotel revenue from a $327,725 media investment, representing a 49-to-1 return on advertising spend. The campaign also generated more than 22,500 attributed bookings and an estimated 40,000 visitors.

Event Marketing Campaign of the Year
Population Under 500,000: Visit Tallahassee, Florida

Visit Tallahassee received national recognition for its marketing campaign supporting the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, the first time the international competition had returned to the United States in more than three decades.

Built around the message You Can Witness History, Or Be a Part of It, the campaign combined paid media, public relations, influencer partnerships, community programming and experiential activations to promote Tallahassee as a premier international running destination. The effort generated 11 million marketing impressions and more than 1,600 editorial placements, reaching an estimated audience of 1.95 billion through earned publicity. The campaign also promoted spectator attendance and public Fun Runs while reinforcing Tallahassee’s reputation as the Capital of Cross Country.

“These award-winning campaigns demonstrate the creativity, collaboration and measurable impact that define the sports events and tourism industry,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “From building distinctive destination brands to leveraging major international sporting events, these organizations are creating new opportunities for economic growth, community engagement and future sports tourism development. We congratulate each of our winners for setting an exceptional standard of marketing excellence.”

The Sports ETA Member Awards, presented by Team Travel Source, recognize outstanding contributions that advance the sports events and tourism industry each year. The awards celebrate innovation, strategic partnerships and measurable results among sports commissions, destination marketing organizations and sports event professionals nationwide.

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