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Prepare for hurricane season, accessible travel
As we welcome a busy June, there are a couple of important workshops you will not want to miss.
Today is the first day of hurricane season which runs through Nov. 30. It’s time to update our plans as the 2021 season is predicted to be active. Please join us for an hour packed with useful information and time for your questions at the virtual VCB Annual Tourism Hurricane Workshop from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, June 2. Register here and if you have questions, contact the VCB’s Pam Brown or call 239-533-6709.
Join us in person or virtually for The Business of Accessible Travel, Opportunities & Benefits workshop from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 23 at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers. It’s an important topic for our destination: providing a positive guest experience for our visitors with disabilities. We hope our industry partners will join us as we welcome renowned travel writer and advocate John Morris of wheelchairtravel.org to discuss how to provide a positive guest experience for people with disabilities.
It’s worth noting that about 20% of Americans have some form of disability and 63% are connected to someone who does. This workshop will help accommodations, attractions, restaurants and other tourism industry businesses gain knowledge and tools to compete for the more than $17 billion spent each year on business and leisure travel by people with disabilities.
The workshop will include a Q&A session giving you the opportunity to ask Morris questions directly affecting your place of business. Register here for the workshop.
Have a great month as we head into summer beginning June 20, the same day as National Seashell Day!
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Former psychology professor finds unexpected passion as Sanibel housekeeper
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Dilya Gabdrkhmanova didn’t expect to find a new passion in life when she took a job as a housekeeper at the Beachview Cottages on Sanibel Island.
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VCB partners with National Restaurant Association to offer free and discounted hospitality training
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The VCB's newest partnership with the National Restaurant Association gives our community partners the opportunity to receive free Covid-19 training for restaurants and hotels and 20% discount on training certifications, including ServSafe manager, food handler, alcohol and more.
If you have any questions, please contact Nicole King-Smith, VCB tourism education manager, at 239-338-3500.
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Get your deals included on the Sun Saver Passport
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Partners, please remember to add your deals on attractions, restaurants and experiences throughout our community. The Sun Saver Passport is available via mobile phones.
Sun Saver Passport by the numbers:
- 70 partner deals
- 4,648 passport downloads
- 329 offers redeemed
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Domestic sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
- April 13: Travalliance Travel Pulse Webinar, Jennifer Walla, VCB, conducted a detailed destination education presentation. About 1,200 travel agents registered for the live event.
- April 15: Expedia TAAP Training, Jennifer Walla, VCB, educated 134 Expedia agents on what our destination can offer their clients.
- April 21: Northstar Meetings Diversity Now Live Webinar, Erin Lester, VCB, began the webinar with a presentation on meetings in our destination. There were 475 meeting planners registered for the live event.
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Virtual meeting planner shows attended
May 5: GPS Impactful Events Southeast, Erin Lester
May 6: GPS Impactful Events Financial & Insurance Markets, Jerry Terp
May 10-13: Global Meeting & Incentive Travel Exchange (GMITE) 2021, Betsy Bush
& Jerry Terp
May 17-19: HelmsBriscoe FAM, Erin Lester
May 17-20: Florida East Coast Virtual Travel Agent Sales Mission, Jennifer Walla &
Shelley Crant
May 25: ABA Marketplace OnDemand, Candice Cocco
Upcoming virtual shows
June 2: GPS Impactful Events Spotlight Florida, Virtual, Erin Lester
June 8: ABA Marketplace OnDemand, Virtual, Candice Cocco
June 28-30: HelmsBriscoe ABC, Dallas, Jerry Terp & Betsy Bush
June 29-July 1: FSAE Annual Conference, Orlando, Erin Lester
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International sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
- April 29-30: FVW Counter Days - Germany with Stefanie Zinke, VCB, and Nadia Bourgault, GCE, attending the virtual show that included 2,900 attendees. The team had 550 visits and more than 1,250 chat messages.
- May 4: Stefanie Zinke, VCB, and UK contractors record an hour-long podcast with Fairytale Holidays UK by Travel Counsellors.
- May 6: Stefanie Zinke, VCB, along with Visit Tampa Bay and St. Pete Clearwater, participate in a webinar panel discussion with Central de Recptivos tour operators and provide insights for 168 travel agents in Spanish-speaking markets.
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June activities
June (multiple dates): Consortia Webinar Series
June 7: Visit USA Virtual Roadshow Germany
June 21: Virtual VISIT FLORIDA Sales Mission Germany
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Rotating photos include:
April 27-29: Instagram post by writer Charlene Peters of Gannett, Sante magazine and Haute Living San Francisco magazine. She also experienced the destination with her dog Freddie.
May 11-14: Journalists Lina Zeldovich, Outside magazine, and Eric Pickhartz, Wide Open Spaces, were part of the Hooked on Tarpon team at the 9th annual Doc Ford's & "Ding" Darling Tarpon Tournament. The writers also explored the destination by land with Miriam Dotson, VCB. Tournament photo by Chris Tilley.
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May 17: U.S. News & World Report (15,020,000) & MSN (67,151,557) (syndicated)
50 Cheap Tropical Vacations to Take This Year
- Blind Pass Beach
- Bowman’s Beach
- Captiva Island
- Sanibel Island
- Sanibel Lighthouse
May 18: PureWow (1,128,004) & Yahoo Life (149,324,782) & News Break (7,611,036)
The 20 Best East Coast Beaches from Maine to Florida
- Bowman’s Beach
- Sanibel Island
- Song of the Sea
- Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
May 19: Country Living (3,578,761) & MSN (67,151,557) & Yahoo Life (149,324,782) (syndicated)
15 Cutest Seaside Towns in the South
- Blind Pass Beach
- Captiva Island
- Sanibel Island
May 20: Travel + Leisure (2,005,222)
The Most Charming Small Towns in Florida
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June TDC Meeting
Tourist Development Council (TDC) meetings are held at the Lee County Admin East Building, 2201 Second St., Room 118, Fort Myers.
When: 2 p.m. Thursday, June 10
Agenda: Available one week before meeting
Wear a mask: To prevent the spread of COVID-19, we respectfully ask that all attendees follow CDC guidelines including wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.
Watch live: Lee TV
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Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association luncheon June 17
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Join the Lee Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), in partnership with the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, for its June Legislative and Hospitality Industry Luncheon.
Guest speakers will be Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA executive director, and Samantha Padgett, FRLA general counsel.
When: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 17
Where: Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, 1451 Middle Gulf Drive, Sanibel Island
Registration deadline: Friday, June 11
Contact: Lois Croft, 239-339-7692 or lcroft@frla.org
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Florida Attractions Association 2021 Annual Conference
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Attractions professionals across Florida will meet in Fort Myers for the Florida Attractions Association 2021 Annual Conference. Join industry colleagues for three days of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, roundtables and professional networking.
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 1
Where: Luminary Hotel & Co.
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2201 Second Street, Suite 600
Fort Myers, Florida 33901
Toll Free 800.237.6444 | Local 239.338.3500
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