The Florida Suncoast (or Florida Sun Coast) is a local marketing name for the west-central peninsularFlorida coastal area, also sometimes known as Florida's Beach communities. The region contains nearly 150 miles (240 km) of Gulf of Mexico beaches and the warm, sunny winter climate attracts tourists from across the US, Canada, and Europe. The name comes from the coast receiving the most days of sunshine per year.[1]
Visit Florida, the state's official tourism marketing corporation, defines the Suncoast region as the 20 barrier islands in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area of central west Florida.[2]