Elevate, Inc. Founder Aakash Patel named to Visit Tampa Bay Advisory Board

on October 13, 2020

TAMPA, FL – Aakash Patel has been named to the Visit Tampa Bay Advisory Board. As Hillsborough County’s destination marketing organization, Visit Tampa Bay’s mission is to tell the county’s story to tourists and convention and meeting planners throughout the world.

“It’s an honor to join this group, which plays an important role in one of the most significant sectors of our economy,” Patel said. “In 2019, visitors pumped $6.9 billion into Hillsborough County and supported more than 54,000 jobs. We were on track for a record year of tourism before Covid hit, and there’s a lot of work to do as we recover from the pandemic. I look forward to being part of the solution.

“I’m particularly excited about Super Bowl 55 early next year, which will once again raise the profile of our community as a tourist destination.”

Patel’s experience in the hospitality industry dates back to 2009 when he served as Public Relations Director at Westin Tampa Bay. He also is an active member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and has represented several hospitality partners at Elevate, Inc., a strategic business consulting firm he founded that provides public relations, community relations, targeted networking and social media services. Elevate, Inc. has served over 200 companies to date.

“Aakash is a great addition to our Advisory Board,” said Santiago C. Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “His skill set and perspectives will benefit us enormously as we promote safe travel to our amazing destination.”

Appointed by the Governor, Patel has served as Chairman of the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County since 2014 and was recently named Secretary of the Leadership Tampa Bay Board of Directors. The 2019 Indo-US Chamber Businessman of the Year, Patel is a graduate of Florida State University and previously worked as an editorial assistant at the Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau.

“Visit Tampa Bay is lucky to have Aakash on the team,” said Bharat Patel, Secretary of AAHOA who served with Aakash as Florida Director of the organization. “He understands the hospitality industry, he loves Tampa and his energy and commitment to the community are unparalleled.”

Patel’s term began October 1, 2020 and will be ratified at the Visit Tampa Bay annual meeting later this month. Terms are two years long and can be additionally extended to two-year terms.