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Our message is clear – We're ready to welcome visitors
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Spring gives us reason to celebrate the renewal and growth that the season brings. And we continue to welcome positive signs of recovery, new life and daily openings throughout our area.
The third phase of our recovery campaign kicks off this month.
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In phase one, which began immediately following Hurricane Ian and ran through the end of 2022, we shared messages of hope and resilience and prioritized our “What’s Open” list.
We started the new year with phase two, focusing on core marketing efforts designed to encourage visitors to return by tapping into the strong feelings our area invokes.
In phase three, we’re really ramping up our marketing spend to increase consideration and drive visitation through the “My Fort Myers” campaign.
Further below is a snapshot of our paid media placements for April, and we’ll continue to provide these updates for you monthly.
Our recovery message, “Visit Fort Myers is ready to welcome international visitors back to our community,” was well received at the recent ITB Berlin 2023. Participating in 40 tour operator meetings and media interviews, I am grateful that I was able to share our news with journalists and attendees at the world’s largest travel show. With 9,858 hotel rooms open and ready for booking, and more coming online each day, we look forward to seeing our international visitors return.
Reopenings and new openings
- Diamondhead Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach is accepting reservations for stays, beginning April 14, while the property works toward a full recovery.
- Also on Fort Myers Beach, if you are dreaming of a beach visit, the beach cam and pool cams at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina are back up and working again at pinkshell.com/live-webcams
- J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge reopens April 4 and will include Wildlife Drive, narrated tram tours (limited schedule), Bailey Tract, most of Indigo Trail, Wildlife Education Boardwalk, Wulfert Keys Trail, and Visitor & Education Center, including the Nature Store.
- Also from the refuge, the Tarpon Bay Explorers recreation concession offers limited facilities, rentals, tours and hours.
- Sweets treats are back with the reopening of Boops by the Bubble Room on Captiva Island. Daily menu returns with ice cream, cakes, and coffee while the Bubble Room and Emporium are under repair.
- Jordan’s Wine Bar and Cellar opened in Cypress Lake Plaza in Fort Myers.
- Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant has opened its high-end winery concept at Six Mile Cypress Parkway near Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers.
- Rosalita’s Cantina has opened in the former 400 Rabbits location on Captiva Island.
And the good news keeps coming. Check the list with openings in all areas of Lee County at visitfortmyers.com/open
Have a great April and thank you for all you do!
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April paid media placements
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In phase three of the recovery roadmap (April-September), we’re ramping up our marketing spend to increase consideration and visitation through the “My Fort Myers” campaign. Here is a snapshot of our paid media placements for April.
Consumer:
- Expedia – digital display & native content
- NPR – podcast audio
- Pandora – mobile audio & video
- Priceline – integrated audience targeting campaign
- Shermans Travel – digital display & co-op
- Sojern – digital display & co-op
- Spotify – podcast & mobile audio
- Traveldesk – digital display, multiple segments
- Zeta – addressable TV
Meetings, weddings, travel trade:
- Bridal Guide – digital display
- Convention South – print & virtual tour
- eTarget – email, weddings & co-op
- Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program – digital display & native content
- FSAE – email
- Northstar Meetings Group – print
- The Knot – digital display
- Travel Market Report – email
International:
- Expedia – digital display, Germany & UK
- Sojern – digital display, Germany & UK
- TripAdvisor – digital display, UK
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Please take the Occupancy Survey by April 21
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This is a friendly reminder that today, April 3, you will receive an email from Downs & St. Germain Research with the subject line: Lee County Occupancy Survey. Please respond to the survey by April 21.
Complete the survey and you will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and then you will be entered into a drawing for a $250 Amazon gift card.
Previous winners of the $250 gift cards include:
- Rosanna Reilly, Fort Myers Beach Inn
- Yevonne Ellerbee, Lovers Key Resort
Congratulations to our winners and thank you very much for taking the survey.
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If you're an industry partner and would like to be considered for a VCB Partner Spotlight, please contact Miriam Dotson, VCB communications manager, at mdotson@leegov.com
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Sun Saver Passport – Call for deals
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Together with our friends at Bandwango, the Lee County VCB is relaunching the Fort Myers Sun Saver Passport, a collection of mobile-exclusive discounts for visitors and locals to enjoy throughout the destination.
Sun Saver provides instant access to a variety of deals and experiences from area attractions, restaurants, and more across four categories – Dine, Play, Shop and Sip.
There is no app to download and signup is simple and 100% free for both users and industry partners. Passports are instantly delivered to phones via text and email.
If you want your business to be included in this fun digital savings pass, please contact the VCB's Vanessa Gomez at vgomez@leegov.com.
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Road to Recovery: Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina
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Want to host Guests First? Please let us know
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Domestic sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
- (Photos 1-2) 2023 Florida Encounter, Feb. 2-4: Erin Lester, VCB, promoted the destination at this meeting planner show in West Palm Beach that included 210 planners.
(Photo 3) 2023 Destinations of Florida client event, Feb. 21: Erin Lester, VCB, co-hosted this event in Tallahassee and about 50 Florida association meeting planners attended. (Photo 4) Meet NY Trade Show, client theatre event & sales calls, Feb. 21-23: Betsy Bush, VCB, promoted the destination's array of open meeting venues to about 500 planners from New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut.
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International sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
(Photo 1) VISIT FLORIDA's Florida Huddle, West Palm Beach, Feb. 2-4: Nickolas Tanner and Marwan Haddad, both of Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village; Charm Evans, VCB; and Rob Wells, Tarpon Lodge & Restaurant and Tourist Development Council vice-chair. Evans conducted 38 individual appointments with tour operators, online travel agencies, airline representative and travel trade media.
(Photo 2) Discover America Canada & Brand USA event, Toronto, Feb. 8: Susan Webb, Discover America President; Susan Crystal, U.S. Consul General; Casey Canevari and Jackie Ennis, both of Brand USA. This networking event included discussions on how to work with Canada to promote the destination.
(Photo 3) VISIT USA Consumer Show F.re.e, Munich, Feb. 22-26: Nadia Bourgault, GCE (VCB contractor), promoted the destination at this consumer event and more than 160,000 visitors attended Bavaria's largest travel and leisure fair.
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Miss spring training? Shellcast will catch you up
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Shellcast, the VCB's award-winning podcast is available on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Travel journalists in-destination
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Rotating photos include:
(Photo 1) March 20-24: Janet Podolak, News-Herald (Ohio); Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald; Lisa Simundson, Recommend Magazine; and Diana Piktel, NJF (VCB contractor), dine at Rumrunners in Cape Coral as part of a familiarization tour that included recovery efforts and spring training.
(Photo 2) March 24-25: Jackie Parker, VCB, with Paul Knowles, Canadian travel writer, who writes for three southern Ontario newspapers, The Toronto Star and vacay.ca.
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TV's Peter Greenberg reports on recovery efforts
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In March, the VCB collaborated with TV travel host Peter Greenberg to produce destination recovery coverage for an upcoming segment of his travel show that will air later this year.
Rotating photos include Greenberg interviewing the following industry partners:
(Photo 1) Former Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith at the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell Tower Shops
(Photo 2) Lee County Commissioner/TDC Chair Brian Hamman on the Caloosahatchee River waterfront in downtown Fort Myers
(Photo 3) Jacki Liszak, Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce president
(Photo 4) Bill Waichulis, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina general manager
(Photo 5) Wendy Schnapp, Tarpon Bay Explorers general manager and co-owner
(Photo 6) Greenberg's production team with Rick Bauer, 6 Mile Cypress Slough Preserve supervisor
(Photo 7) Pasquale Russo, Tutti Pazzi co-owner
(Photo 8) Kevin McMahon, Tutti Pazzi bartender
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Out and about with Visitor Services Tourism Ambassadors
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Rotating photos include:
(Photos 1-2) The VCB's Tourism Ambassadors Marie, Jim and Maryann worked at our visitor information booths at JetBlue Park and Lee County Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium providing baseball fans with visitor information about Lee County.
(Photo 3) Tourism Ambassadors Charlotte, Cindy, Valerie and Bob gave out visitor information at the Men’s State Gymnastics meet at the Estero Rec Center in March.
(Photos 4-5) The Tourism Ambassadors enjoyed a tour and complimentary lunch at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village on Feb. 27. Familiarization trips throughout Lee County give the ambassadors the opportunity to learn about the destination and help answer questions from visitors at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
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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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