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Spring training and golf bring visitors to the destination
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Play ball! Spring training is back and the destination gets two big wins with the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.
Blue skies and warm weather make it the perfect time to be at our ballparks.
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Spring training runs through March 24 for the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park and March 26 for the Minnesota Twins at the newly renamed Lee Health Sports Complex. Be sure to watch the video above to see the Minnesota Twins equipment truck - branded with the Fort Myers - Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods logo - arrive at Hammond Stadium.
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While it may be baseball season for the Grapefruit League, it’s also the perfect time to be out on the links for a round of golf at any of the courses throughout Lee County.
The VCB is marketing golf in the destination with the help of our friends at Matador and LouLou Gonzalez, a well-known influencer, stand-up comedian and golfer. She recently played several area golf courses and enjoyed a variety of destination activities during her visit. The resulting videos are being distributed using Matador's targeting focus around golf interests on both YouTube and Meta.
Also, Gonzalez will be posting organic social posts later on in the campaign directly on her Instagram profile. The YouTube video has already received over 274K views.
The VCB continues to market the very best of the destination and we look forward to seeing you at the ballpark or on the greens. Have a great March and thank you for all you do to make visitors fall in love with our slice of paradise.
Reminder: There will be no Tourist Development Council in March. The next TDC meeting will be at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 11.
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We'll see you on the midway at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, now through March 10
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Attention industry partners – Please share with your guests and make plans to join in on the fun at this year's Southwest Florida Ag Expo! Enjoy the midway rides and games, livestock shows, delicious treats, and amazing entertainment daily at Southwest Florida’s best family-friendly event.
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Bonita Springs
Cape Coral
Estero
Fort Myers
Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Shores
Sanibel Island
Charlotte County
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If you're an industry partner and would like to be considered for a VCB Partner Spotlight, please contact Ray Sarracino, VCB communications director, at rsarracino@leegov.com
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Vote for Island Hopper Songwriter Fest in USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest has been nominated as a contender for Best Music Festival by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice travel awards.
You can vote once a day and the contest ends March 18. The winners will be announced March 29.
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Add your deal to the VCB's new Calusa Blueway Challenge
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If your business is located along the nearly 200-mile Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, post a deal in the Calusa Blueway Challenge. This gamified passport is a collaboration between Lee County Parks & Recreation and the VCB, and is part of a yearlong celebration of the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail's 20th anniversary.
How it works: The Calusa Blueway Challenge will offer points for check-ins at attractions and businesses along the trail. Points collected can be exchanged for prizes, provided by the VCB. Those who complete the challenge will be entered to win a grand prize of a standup paddleboard or overnight stay in the destination.
Launch date: The Challenge will run from April-February 2025.
It's free: As a valued partner of the VCB, there is no cost to be listed in the passport!
Questions: Contact the VCB's Alison Giesen at agiesen@leegov.com to learn more.
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VCB's Performance Dashboard
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Explore the Symphony dashboard, developed by the VCB in partnership with Tourism Economics. The dashboard combines all our destination data sources to make data insights more user-friendly and interactive.
Key insights:
- Destination website sessions increased by 401% for December, compared to December 2022, and increased by 13.6%, compared to December 2021, with 70% of all sessions being from mobile and 9% from tablet. Source: Google Analytics
- Average length of stay in December was 3.0 days, with 81.2% of stays including an overnight. This is up from November, which had a 2.8-day length of stay and 81% overnights. Source: Near
- Canada was the top international market for December, with an average length of stay of 5.5 nights. Toronto was the top origin market, followed by Montreal. Source: Near
- Trip duration for December showed 65% of hotel bookings continue to occur in the 1-2 day window, similar to November. Longer stays continue to occur with vacation rentals as 45% of stays are 6-9 days. Source: Expedia
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March paid media placements
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Our efforts in FY23/24 Q2 are largely to influence spring visitation, as well as to support the groups/meetings business. Here is a snapshot of our paid media placements launching in March.
Consumer:
- Multi-market "blitz" campaign in Cincinnati, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Minneapolis
- New York Times – audio spot, rich media - custom content, display AV
- Pandora – interstitial display, audio spots
- Florida Golf Alliance – paid social
- Orange Barrel – digital out-of-home (market blitz)
- Outfront – digital out-of-home (market blitz)
- Clear Channel – digital out-of-home (market blitz)
- Meredith - Southern Living – print advertorial, digital native article, native and social promotions (part of native content package)
- Shermans Travel – sponsored email
Meetings, weddings, travel trade:
- Bridal Guide – print ad + advertorial
- Prevue Meetings – print ad + advertorial
- Northstar Meetings Group – custom content
- Travel Weekly – dedicated email
- AGENTatHOME – custom content
- eTarget – dedicated email - co-op weddings
International
- Expedia Germany – display - co-op
- Sojern - International Germany – display - co-op
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Threshold 360 offers free filming of your business
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Have you taken advantage of Threshold 360's free filming for industry partners? Don't miss out on this amazing, free opportunity for your tourism business.
In partnership with the VCB, Threshold 360's videos can be used to promote your business in the following ways:
- Uploaded to your Google My Business page
- Sent to potential visitors and clients
- Used in presentations or group proposals
- Added to your listing on VisitFortMyers.com
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Guests First Customer Service Training Program concludes for the winter 2024 season
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The Guests First team would like to express its sincere appreciation to our esteemed industry partners (listed below) who graciously opened their doors to host our winter training sessions. If you are interested in being a host location, please click here for more information.
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Domestic sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
- (Photos 1-3) PCMA Convening Leaders, Jan. 7-10: Lauren Hyps and Betsy Bush, VCB, conducted client events, attended education sessions and networked with meeting planners on the trade show floor. There were over 5,000 meeting professionals who attended this show in San Diego.
- (Photos 4-5) RCMA Emerge, Jan. 9-11: Candice Cocco, VCB, Nicole Logan, Crowne Plaza Ft. Myers Gulf Coast, and Tamara Parker, Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, networked and met with a variety of faith-based planners from throughout the U.S. There were over 1,100 meeting professionals who attended this show in San Antonio.
- (Photos 6-8) Travel & Adventure Show, Jan. 26-28: Jennifer Walla, VCB, participated in the FAM-TAS Passport Program and spoke with 210 travel advisors, in addition to countless prospective leisure travelers from the greater New York City area, at our booth during this two-day trade show.
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International sales activities
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2024 ABF Reisen & Urlaub Show (Travel & Holiday), Jan. 31-Feb. 4: Nadia Bourgault, German VCB team, attended the event and held daily 30-minute presentations over the course of five days. The U.S. was the partner country and 86,000 people attended this year’s event.
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Communications team activities
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Rotating photos include:
(Photo 1) Alice Barnes Brown, Travel Weekly UK edition, Feb. 1-3: Alice Barnes Brown received a warm VCB welcome at Backyard Social in Fort Myers. Some of the other partners that were part of her visit include Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina, CROW, Nautical Tiki Cruises, Nervous Nellie's, Mound House, Margaritaville Beach Resort and Heavenly Biscuit.
(Photo 2) Cortney Fries, Metro Parent, Feb. 2-4: Cortney Fries and Jackie Parker, VCB, at Petey's Upper Deck at Matanzas on the Bay. Fries' visit to the destination is part of the VCB's market blitz that includes Detroit. Partners involved with her visit included Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina, Lovers Key State Park, Margaritaville Beach Resort, Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, ArtFest Fort Myers and downtown Fort Myers.
(Photo 3) Jim Byers, OpenJaw Network, Feb. 8-10: Guest Barbara Byers and Canadian travel writer Jim Byers at Luminary Hotel & Co. in downtown Fort Myers. Partners involved with his visit included Margaritaville Beach Resort, Fresh Catch Bistro, Ford's Garage, Silver King Ocean Brasserie and downtown Fort Myers.
(Photo 4) Jane Canapini, GrownupTravels.com, Feb. 23-28: Canadian travel writer Jane Canapini and her husband Hank aboard Captiva Cruises' Lady Chadwick. Partners involved with her visit included DiamondHead Beach Resort & Spa, Dixie Fish, Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Ford's Garage, Flippers on the Bay, Riverside Rooftop, 'Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, Mucky Duck, Shipyard, McCarthy's Marina, Cabbage Key and Crows Nest Steakhouse.
(Photo 5) Emma Enebak, Minnesota Monthly, Feb. 25-28: Travel writer Emma Enebak aboard Nautical Tiki Cruises with kayaker and dolphin watcher Monica Lynn, aka "Fairy Podmother," in the background. Enebak's visit to the destination is part of the VCB's market blitz that includes Minneapolis. Partners involved with her visit included Coconut Jack's Waterfront Grille, Margaritaville Beach Resort, All Island Watersports, Wonder Gardens, Luminary Hotel & Co., Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Minnesota Twins and Lee Health Sports Complex.
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Communications earned media results
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Visitor Services activities
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Our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors explored Lee County on FAMs to Cape Coral (Rotary Park, Hampton Inn & Suites and Jungle Bird Authentic Tiki) and had their "Fins Up" at Margaritaville Resort Fort Myers Beach. These trips are important for our ambassadors to gain firsthand knowledge about these experiences to share with the traveling public at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
They also assisted with volunteer registration at ArtFest Fort Myers, Feb. 2-4.
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Calusa Coast event series celebrates Florida Archaeology Month
The Calusa Coast event series takes place annually throughout March to celebrate Florida Archaeology Month. These events are organized as a collaborative effort to educate people about the archaeology and ethnography of the Indigenous peoples of Southwest Florida.
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FDOT to hold open house for Caloosahatchee River Bridge pedestrian improvements on March 13 at Collaboratory
The Florida Department of Transportation invites the public to attend the upcoming Caloosahatchee River Bridge Construction Open House.
The open house will be from 5-7 p.m. at the Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St., Fort Myers. Attendees will have the opportunity to view displays and meet the project team.
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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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