Brianna Green, public relations manager at Visit Florida, joins Aqua Talks live from the Governor’s Conference in West Palm Beach for a sharp, practical conversation about where PR is heading. Her big theme: GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — the new SEO. As travelers increasingly ask ChatGPT and other LLMs where to go, Brianna argues PR pros have to think not just about what a journalist will pick up, but what an LLM will pull in as a trusted source. That’s pushing her team back to PR fundamentals: the inverted pyramid, a blunt who-what-where-when-why in the first paragraph, and scannable formats (bullet points, even a TL;DR) that LLMs can categorize easily. They’re using a GEO monitoring platform to test prompts and see whether visitflorida.com, their social channels, and their press coverage are getting cited — and they’ve even returned to the newswire, betting that consistent mentions across credible outlets signal legitimacy to the models.

From there, Brianna lays out how Visit Florida works as the statewide DMO: earning media through both traditional outlets and content creators (the authentic third-party voice travelers trust), running international programs across Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Canada, the UK, and Germany, and taking the cost and lift off smaller DMO partners through missions, receptions, and co-op programs like satellite media tours. She previews Huddle Florida UK, shares why experiencing the state firsthand makes her a better storyteller, and makes the case for the “Find the new in your known” campaign — nudging repeat visitors beyond the beaches and theme parks to Crystal River manatees, the Dry Tortugas, bioluminescent kayaking on the Space Coast, and the springs.

In This Episode:

• 00:45 - Live from the Governor's Conference — West Palm Beach
• 01:23 - GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Rethinking PR for LLMs
• 07:35 - Introducing Visit Florida — Purpose, Role, and Outreach
• 12:21 - Visit Florida’s Importance to Local Destinations
• 17:29 - Discover Florida Beyond the Beaches

Key Takeaways:

• GEO is the new SEO. Generative Engine Optimization means crafting coverage LLMs will pull in as a trusted source — not just what a journalist picks up.
• Back to PR basics. Lead with a blunt who-what-where-when-why and scannable formats (bullets, a TL;DR) that LLMs can categorize.
• Consistency signals authority. Accurate, direct info repeated across many credible outlets (hence a return to the newswire) tells LLMs you’re legit.
• Monitor across teams. A GEO platform lets PR, content, and social test prompts and see whether the website and channels get cited.
• Creators are a PR function. Visit Florida leans on creators as the authentic third-party voice travelers trust.
• Global reach, local agencies. Programs span the US plus Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Canada, the UK, and Germany, with boots on the ground and FAM trips.
• Lifting up smaller DMOs. Missions, receptions, and co-op programs like satellite media tours give partners reach they couldn’t mount alone.
• “Find the new in your known.” The campaign pushes repeat visitors past beaches and parks to Crystal River, the Dry Tortugas, Space Coast kayaking, and the springs.

Aqua Talks returns to Blu Halo for a roundtable (or, as Larry puts it, a “square table”) with managing partner Andy Donato, restaurant relations lead Shannon Ruedt, and PR partner Mary Ellen Collins. The theme: Blu Halo isn’t just a special-occasion spot — with cocktails starting at 11:30, a come-as-you-are no-dress-code vibe, and a location surrounded by offices, hotels, and the airport, it’s built to be an everyday lunch, happy hour, or dinner destination you can visit once or twice a week.

The conversation covers what makes the place distinctive: an all-fresh, no-freezers kitchen (Wagyu even on the kids’ menu), a genuinely substantial “Paw Patio” dog menu where dogs eat free, live music Wednesday through Saturday, and a packed events calendar — monthly Mahjong & Martinis, a private room that seats up to 50, and a steady run of pairing dinners. Andy walks through his passion project, the wine list (old world and new, heavy on France and Italy), and previews upcoming events including a Green Bench beer dinner and an October bourbon dinner featuring Penelope. It’s a warm, community-minded look at a restaurant leaning into being a neighborhood regular spot as it approaches its one-year anniversary.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Chapters:

• 00:44 - Blue Halo: New Participants Join
• 01:30 - Returning to Blue Halo: Dining Philosophy & Offerings
• 07:15 - Events & Community Nights — Pairing Dinners, Mahjong & More
• 09:32 - Wine list, tastings, and pairing events
• 15:25 - Episode Outro — Aqua Talks: Call to Action & Closing

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Not just special occasion. Pricing, menu, and an 11:30 cocktail start are designed for everyday visits — lunch, happy hour, or dinner once or twice a week — not a once-a-year splurge.
• The “Paw Patio” dog menu. Shannon’s idea, born from a “Bark & Brunch” event and tied to a local shelter: dogs eat free, with substantial options (sliced strawberries, hot dog, chicken, scrambled eggs) — a step beyond the usual pup cup.
• All fresh, no freezers. The kitchen literally has no freezers, so everything is fresh — including Wagyu on the kids’ menu (same quality beef the adults get, no frozen patties or chicken).
• Live music four nights a week. Wednesday through Saturday, kept as soft background listening that can turn up later in the night.
• A full events calendar. Monthly Mahjong & Martinis (first Sunday, open play), wine/whiskey/beer pairing dinners coordinated with bar manager Joey, and a private room seating up to 50 (splittable) — now taking holiday reservations.
• Andy’s wine list. A personal passion spanning old world and new, affordable to splurge, with a France- and Italy-heavy old-world selection.
• Pairing dinners with real voices. Andy brings in actual winemakers/winery reps (recently Todd Anderson of Kahn Valley) rather than multi-brand liquor reps; upcoming are a Green Bench (St. Pete) beer dinner and an October Penelope bourbon dinner (wheated, rye, and the new French-oak-finished “Architect”).
• Sunday is chef’s night. Open 4–8 with the Lobster Trap and three rotating chef-only specialty entrées (a pasta, a chicken, and a beef dish).

Aqua Talks stays at Blu Halo for a second helping, trading the dining room for the kitchen with executive chef David Smith — the guy making the magic happen. A Maryland native who came up through Hyatt and Two Roads Hospitality banquet kitchens (grinding from commis to banquet chef, cooking for parties of 50 to 5,000), Dave brings a Mediterranean-leaning, seafood-loving sensibility and a fresh-every-day philosophy to Blu Halo's St. Pete location, where he's been since it opened.

The conversation is a food lover's tour: how rising meat and produce prices push him toward creative, lesser-known cuts (teres major, bistro and hanger steaks); his fresh Florida seafood (black grouper with citrus-peppadew gremolata, pan-seared sea bass with walnut-kalamata tapenade, scallop caprese); crowd-pleasers like the all-Wagyu smashburger that jumped from lunch to dinner; and a few home-cook tips along the way (dry your scallops, and yes to Old Bay on nearly everything). Larry and Dave build a full imaginary meal from cocktail to dessert, landing on the showstopper carrot cake and a Dubai chocolate cake — because, as Dave puts it, the first and last things you get are what you remember about a restaurant.

In This Episode:

• 00:43 - Deep Dive: Marketing for Tourism & Hospitality
• 02:11 - Seafood: Chef Dave's Signature Dishes
• 06:14 - From Hotels to Blue Halo: The Chef’s Journey
• 11:07 - Transition to Lunch: Menu and Crowd
• 13:50 - Entrées — Main Courses & Steak Selections
• 18:21 - Outro: Closing Remarks, Resources & Call to Action

Key Takeaways:

• Rising prices, smarter cuts. With meat and produce costs climbing, Dave leans into creative, lesser-known cuts (teres major, bistro steak, hanger steak) to deliver a "wow" without breaking the bank.
• Fresh, every day. Seafood is called in and processed fresh daily — black grouper with citrus-peppadew gremolata, pan-seared sea bass with toasted-walnut and kalamata tapenade, and a pan-seared scallop caprese finished with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• A Mediterranean backbone. Dave's flavor profiles draw from Italy, Greece, and Turkey — capers, garlic, onion, olive oil — elevating simple ingredients.
• The smashburger nobody can resist. An all-Wagyu, made-to-order smashburger with garlic aioli and house pickles got so popular it moved onto the dinner menu; sided with truffle-Parmesan shoestring fries.
• Signature and staple dishes. The 10-year-strong Blu Halo chop, braised beef tenderloin tips, spinach salad with truffle vinaigrette and Plant City strawberries, bikini prawns, pan-fried burrata ("an adult mozzarella stick"), and a Wagyu pastrami smoked just for them in New York.
• Save room — it's what you remember. A carrot cake big enough for two, hot beignets with bourbon caramel, triple chocolate cake, and a pistachio-filled Dubai chocolate cake.
• Chef's home-cook tips. Dry your scallops before searing, Old Bay on almost everything (just not lobster — keep the butter), and simple wine pairings by dish.
• A deep kitchen résumé. From Hyatt and Two Roads banquet kitchens to time under chef Sam DeMarco and a Maryland pasta concept, Dave brings serious range to Blu Halo.