Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, downtown Fort Myers

Happy Holidays and please join us on the path forward

As we move along the path forward, we're observing a rise in numerous positive indicators. These encouraging trends offer a beacon of hope for the upcoming year. 

At Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) traffic numbers are on the upswing, new carriers and nonstop flights continue to launch, including Canada's Porter Airlines, which will offer daily service to and from Toronto. The Lee County Port Authority is anticipating a 15% increase in the number of flights between last month and the end of January compared to the same period last year.

And there’s more good news: Accommodation inventory and demand is climbing. With more rooms becoming available each month, a number of reopenings and new properties on the horizon, we are encouraged and poised to welcome more visitors in the coming year.

We warmly welcome the return of our snowbirds and international guests from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, reaffirming our region's hallmark commitment to exceptional customer service.

We encourage you to make customer service a top priority with everyone you meet. Your warm smile and friendly welcome ensures that visitors leave with a positive impression that they will share with friends and family. This not only generates goodwill but also often results in an extended stay or a return visit.

Through the VCB’s Guests First program, frontline staff and management professionals learn how to anticipate the needs of guests, deliver memorable experiences and turn around difficult situations. We invite you to participate in this free program.

While this year – particularly this season – may feel hectic at times, we can rely on our mutual support. Our industry is full of kind, caring and positive members of our community who take pleasure in their work. Remember, the VCB is always ready to support you.

From all of us at the VCB, we extend our warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season. We eagerly look forward to working with you in the new year to take the steps that keep us on the path forward.

Lee County Black History Society

(From left) Harriett Myers, charter member, and Autumn Watkins-Holloway, executive director, Lee County Black History Society, with Charmine Evans, VCB, during a taping of this month's Partner Spotlight. 

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

"Feels Like Home to Me" music video celebrates destination

“Come as you are” in a place where “everybody's your friend.” Today, Dec. 1, the VCB released a destination anthem titled “Feels Like Home To Me” in collaboration with BMI and songwriters Brian Sutherland and Clint Daniels. Created to help residents move forward and imbue a sense of community pride following the destruction of Category 5 Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and to give visitors a sense of place.

To create the anthem, BMI, who co-produces the annual Island Hopper Songwriter Fest with the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and iHeartMedia, tapped Island Hopper alums Brian Sutherland and Clint Daniels to create the song, both of whom have a special connection to the destination.

The music video was shot on Captiva Island and takes viewers on a journey through the destination, with highlights including downtown Fort Myers, the Sanibel Lighthouse, Times Square on Fort Myers Beach, the Caloosahatchee River, Gasparilla Island State Park, Edison and Ford Winter Estates, Wonder Gardens, Sun Splash Family Waterpark and 47th Terrace, among others.

December paid media placements

Our efforts in FY23/24 Q1 are largely to influence winter visitation, as well as to support the groups/meetings business. Here is a snapshot of our paid media placements launching in December. 

Consumer:

• Garden & Gun – print listing, digital custom content, paid social activation
• TravelDesk – co-op spring training display
• Shermans Travel – dedicated email

Meetings, weddings, travel trade:

• Wellness Travel University – homepage banner ad placement, monthly eblast
• AGENTatHOME – travel agent academy - Wellness Chapter, print ad
• Florida Trend – print ad, eNewsletter feature
• Bridal Guide – social feature, custom content
• Recommend – dedicated email, eNewsletter banner 
• Insider Travel Report – dedicated email
• Prevue Meetings – dedicated email
• The Knot – social + custom content feature
• Northstar Meetings Group – dedicate email
• Luxury Link – dedicated email

International:

• AirMiles – featured destination placement, eNewsletter feature, digital display, paid social feature

Tourism Outlook Annual Meeting recap

Congratulations to Captiva Cruises for receiving this year's Junonia Award at the VCB's Tourism Outlook Annual Meeting, Nov. 9, at Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa. The family-owned and operated cruise excursion service is recognized as a leader in the Florida ecotourism industry. Owners Capt. Bob Rando, Jenny Rando, Capt. Brad Junghans and Leslie Junghans have lived in Southwest Florida and have worked on Captiva Island their entire adult lives.

In addition to the Junonia Award, the VCB unveiled its new sales and marketing plan – themed “The Path Forward – to industry partners, along with a new “Sand Dollar Sense” video explaining the value of tourism locally. The meeting also featured the new destination anthem, which was revealed in a music video performed by Brian Sutherland and Clint Daniels. Both singer-songwriters performed recently at VCB’s Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. 

Sand Dollar Sense

See how tourism dollars effect Lee County residents and play a vital role in our local economy.

Sign up for the Sun Saver Passport today

We would love your Dine, Play, Shop or Sip deals! Sign up for the Sun Saver Passport today by scanning the QR code or clicking the image above. Want to learn more about the pass? Click HERE or email VCB member Vanessa Gomez at vgomez@leegov.com.

Join Guests First for year-round learning: Fall & winter sessions await

Step your customer service game up and join the many Lee County businesses that have Certified Guest Service Professionals on their teams.

Domestic sales activities

Rotating photos include:

IMEX America, Oct. 17-19: VCB staff Jerry Terp and Lauren Hyps conducted 31 meeting planner appointments, hosted a client dinner with hotel partners and attended multiple networking events. The 2023 IMEX America trade show boasted the largest show attendance to date of 17,500 participants at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

• (Photo 1) From left: Alicia Moneyhun, LamontCo with Jerry Terp, VCB, pointing out Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods’ participation in the Visit Florida booth.
• (Photo 2) From left: Jan Tolle MacDonald, HelmsBriscoe with Jerry Terp and Lauren Hyps, VCB, following their appointment.
• (Photo 3) From left: Jerry Terp, VCB, Debbie Van Ravenhorst, HelmsBriscoe and Lauren Hyps, VCB.
• (Photo 4) Hosted Client Dinner on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at Border Grill with ten event planners, Lauren Hyps and Jerry Terp, VCB, Sandra Keneven, Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, Pamela Vargas and Tamara Parker, Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa.

International sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) 2023 FTI DE North America Roadshow, Oct. 23-27: Nadia Bourgault and Lisa-Marie Timmann, German VCB team, participated in FTI’s North America Roadshow. The roadshow stopped in five German cities and is the first USA-focused roadshow since 2019. In a speed-dating format split up into smaller groups, 204 travel agents were updated on the recovery process in the region. Pictured: Jan Osmers, FTI Key Account Manager; Thomas Vogler, Great Lakes; Nadia Bourgault, Fort Myers; Martina Jungschmidt, FTI Sales Representative; Rebecca Knab, Air Canada; Hannah Peffer, Las Vegas; Florian Renner, FTI Strategic Destination Officer North America; Nicole Mayer, FTI Head of Service Center Long-Haul; Julia Krötz, FTI Head of Product North America; Lisa Portmann, FTI Senior Product Manager North America; Julia Augustin, Travel Texas; Albert Jennings, Washington.
  
  
• (Photo 3) 2023 Visit USA Halloween Workshop & Travel Agent Event, Oct. 28: Visit USA Germany held its traditional All-day Halloween Workshop Event in Frankfurt, Germany, with Nadia Bourgault participating on behalf of the VCB. In groups of 12-16 people, the 111 travel agents from all over Germany switched workshop rooms every 30 minutes, the various U.S. partners presented in different formats, and ended with the Halloween Evening Event. Pictured: Bianca Kolic, Sales & Marketing Representative DACH, Bradenton Gulf Islands; Nadia Bourgault, Fort Myers; Kerstin Burh, Travel Industry Sales Representative, Visit Orlando.

December sales events

Communications team activities

Georgia outdoor media group, Nov. 13-17: Attendees included Jimmy Jacobs and Polly Dean, both with On the Fly South magazine, Capt. Cefus McRae with "Nuts and Bolts Fishing" TV show, Ed Mashburn, freelance kayak angler and Gunner Hall, also freelance. Tarpon Lodge hosted the accommodations and the group enjoyed two dinners at the Lodge, one at Blue Dog and one at Cabbage Key. The transportation out to Cabbage Key was on Nautical Tiki Cruises and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We also had them downtown Fort Myers to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, lunch at Ford’s Garage and a stroll through downtown.

Communications earned media results

Visitor Services activities

FAMs: Our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors had a busy month exploring Lee County. We partnered with our friends at Lee County Parks & Recreation and the Lee County Port Authority for FAMs to Hickey Creek Mitigation Park, a special full moon walk at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and a behind-the-scenes look at the Page Field airport. We also ventured to Pine Island to learn all about the Calusa at the Randell Research Center and Heritage Trail, followed by a wonderful lunch at Tarpon Lodge. Volunteers also got to peek behind the curtain at Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall. The biggest visit of all was 90 of the 132 volunteers descending upon Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina to see the property’s progress since Hurricane Ian.

We invite our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors on FAMs so they can experience area attractions and accommodations to better assist the traveling public as they come through RSW. If your business is interested in hosting a tour for our ambassadors, please email visitorservices@leegov.com.

Roy Hobbs: Tourism Ambassadors assisted with registration for five weekends at the Roy Hobbs World Series’ return to Fort Myers.

Breeze Inaugural Flight: Passengers of the inaugural Breeze flight from Norfolk International Airport (ORF) to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) were greeted with a warm welcome by our Tourism Ambassadors on Nov. 2.