Chris Bepko and Tim McGeary perform on Fort Myers Beach at last year's Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. Bepko was the 2023 grand-prize winner of Sidney Berne Davis Art Center's annual Singer Songwriter Competition. McGeary, an Island Hopper alum, will perform again on Fort Myers Beach and on Sept. 7 at the "Sneak Peak in St. Pete" preview event. 

See you at Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, Sept. 20-29
So many new experiences to celebrate 10 years of the stories behind the songs

Live music on a day cruise. Live music with a wine dinner. Live music at a 2,000-year-old Calusa Indian shell mound. Live music with a chart-topping singer-songwriter who is backed up by the Gulf Coast Symphony.

These ticketed events and more are all part of the 10-year celebration of Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, Sept. 20-29, recently named one of the Top 5 music fests by USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Sneak Peek in St. Pete, Sept. 7

Enjoy an afternoon performance by BMI singer-songwriters Tim McGeary, an Island Hopper alum, and Trisha Markinson, who is new to Island Hopper and calls the greater Tampa area home. The free show will be 3-5 p.m. at Seven C Music & Coffee, located in the Warehouse Arts District of St. Petersburg. There will be door prizes, including passes to the Scotty McCreery pool party performance on Sept. 29 at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina.

Scotty McCreery headlines Island Hopper
Sept. 29: Scotty McCreery will wrap up Island Hopper with a pool party performance at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. The BMI singer-songwriter is known for his hit songs “You Time,” “Damn Strait,” “Rise and Fall,” “Cab in a Solo” and many more. 

Check Island Hopper app for ticketed events + volunteer at a beach cleanup
Sept. 26: Five-time Grammy nominee and BMI singer-songwriter Jeffrey Steele will join the Gulf Coast Symphony in a live performance at the Florida Repertory Theatre in downtown Fort Myers.

Sept. 21: Volunteer for the beach cleanup at Alison Hagerup Beach Park on Captiva Island, in support of International Coastal Cleanup. 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Sept. 21: Come aboard and set sail from Captiva Island with singer-songwriters Brian Sutherland & Bobby Tomberlin for a Songwriters Cruise at 3:30 p.m. with Captiva Cruises.

Sept. 23: Wine and dine near the waterfront as Gather, located at Tarpon Point Marina, hosts a Chef’s Dinner alongside performances by Catie Offerman and Danny Myrick.

Sept. 24: Sail with Off the Leash Charters as it welcomes Sheena Brook and Megan Linville to its Songwriter Cruise, departing at 12:30 p.m. from the Nauti Parrot at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral.

Sept. 25: Luminary Hotel & Co.’s Wine Dinner in the Workshop includes the British-brother trio Essex County. It starts at 6 p.m. in the hotel’s workshop culinary theater, complete with stadium seating.

Sept. 25: ACMA showcase at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in downtown Fort Myers includes performances by BMI singer-songwriters Bill Metts, Robert Bidney, Karen Cohen, Bruce Gallant and Roy Schneider. ACMA is the Americana Community Music Association.

Sept. 27: Music Row @ Margaritaville still has VIP tickets available. The show takes place at Margaritaville Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach and includes performances by BMI singer-songwriters Kristian Bush, Kassi Ashton and Shane Profitt.

Sept. 28: Music on the Mound welcomes singer-songwriters Tim James & Jeff Cohen to a 2:30 p.m. show set on a historic shell mound at Fort Myers Beach.

Island Hopper gives fans the opportunity to see almost 100 BMI singer-songwriters perform in smaller venues with a tropical setting as the backdrop. Be sure to catch a free, live Island Hopper performance at these four locations around the Fort Myers area:

• Captiva Island, Sept. 20-22
• Cape Coral, Sept. 23-24
• Downtown Fort Myers, Sept. 25-26
• Fort Myers Beach, Sept. 27-29

Island Hopper began as a way to help our industry partners during the slower time of the year. It has become one of the most popular festivals in the U.S. and we are excited to once again welcome music lovers to the Fort Myers area. 

Have a terrific September and thank you for all that you do to promote tourism in Lee County. 

A Henry Award win and John Lai chairs VISIT FLORIDA

Rotating photos include: 

• (Photo 1) VCB staff, TDC council members on stage at the VISIT FLORIDA Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Tampa Convention Center, Aug. 28-30. 
• (Photo 2) We won a Henry! The VCB's digital Visitor Guide took the top award – The Henry – in the Resource/Promotional Material-Consumer category at the Flagler Awards. Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA chief executive officer; Brian Ososky, VCB marketing director; Pamela Johnson, VCB deputy director; and John Lai, VISIT FLORIDA chair.
• (Photo 3) The Savor the Shore campaign earned a Silver Award in the Tourism Advocacy category. Click here for a complete list of winners. 
• (Photo 4) John Lai addresses the conference as he serves as chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors. 
• (Photos 5-6) John Lai gets a hug from Holly Smith, Sanibel councilmember. Tony Lapi, president/CEO of 'Tween Waters Inn Island Resort, and Lai. Lai also serves as president/CEO of the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce and regional director of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. 
• (Photos 7-8) We're so proud to have John Lai representing our destination on the state level. Congratulations, John! 

Angela Mitchell, content marketing manager 

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau welcomes Angela Mitchell as its new content marketing manager.

Mitchell has extensive experience as a professional copywriter and has worked with seven Florida CVBs. Most recently, she worked with Visit Lauderdale, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach and Bradenton CVBs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of South Florida. 

In this position, Mitchell will manage the VCB’s content marketing efforts, ensuring that the brand message is consistent, timely and integrated across channels. She will oversee website content and promotions, paid search, and our award-winning Visitor Guide, in addition to maintaining partner and vendor relations.

Her motto: Deliver value in every communication and you give people a reason to care. 

She has relocated to Fort Myers from Tallahassee, with her husband and 17-year-old son. 

24th Annual E Awards

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

New mural is ready to ride at SanCap Chamber

In partnership with the VCB, the SanCap Chamber cut the ribbon on Aug. 19 on a new mural on the west side of the chamber’s Visitor Center on Sanibel.

The mural is the fifth of 10 that the VCB is debuting in communities throughout the county.

“The murals identify places throughout our destination and what’s special about them,” said Nancy MacPhee, VCB product development manager. “We want to touch every community, and we have 10. Each mural is interactive, and people can have their pictures taken with it.”

The chamber mural depicts a bicycle parked at a beach access on the islands with the Sanibel Lighthouse, which celebrated its 140th anniversary the following day, in the background. The VCB developed the concept with approval from the chamber and in partnership with the Fort Myers Mural Society. Pine Island artist Roland Ruocco painted the scene. Billy’s Bike Shop on Sanibel donated a bicycle to mount next to the mural for photo ops.

“We were thrilled when the VCB came to us with a proposal to become part of its dynamic mural project,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “The finished product truly captures the character of the islands and adds an attraction to a formerly blank wall.”

“We were looking for all murals to be in an area where there is good foot traffic,” MacPhee said. “We talked to John and he was immediately on board, and this building has the most foot traffic. It made total sense.”

The Visitor Center is at 1159 Causeway Blvd., Sanibel.

Add your deal to the VCB's new Calusa Blueway Challenge

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 continues through February 2025.
 
It's free: As a valued partner of the VCB, there is no cost for your business to participate.

Questions: Contact the VCB's Alison Giesen at agiesen@leegov.com to learn more.

VCB's Performance Dashboard 

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: 

• Over 696K passengers flew to/from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in June, an 8% increase compared to June 2023. It was the second-best June reported in the 42-year history of RSW. Source: Lee County Port Authority

• Hotel room supply and demand for coastal properties in June 2024 increased by 35% and 29% YOY, respectively, with coastal hotel revenue increasing by 51% compared to June 2023. Source: STR

• Average length of stay in June 2024 was 3 days, with 82% of stays including an overnight and 69% were repeat visitors. No significant changes compared to May 2024. Source: Near

• The top out-of-state visitor origin markets in June 2024 were Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Source: Near
  
  

  VIEW THE PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD

September paid media placements

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, our media efforts are ramping up to drive visitation for late summer and fall travel. In September, we will roll out a series of group paid media placements, while our July and August campaigns targeting our consumer leisure audiences will continue through the end of the fiscal year in September. 

Meetings, weddings, travel trade:

• Wellness Travel – homepage logo banner ad
• AGENTatHOME – print ad
• FSAE – enewsletter feature
• Bridal Guide – native ad, social post (IG story), print ad, full page sponsored content
• Northstar Meetings – dedicated email
• Honeyfund – newsletter feature, dedicated email

Threshold 360 offers free filming of your business

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. Questions? Contact the VCB's Jennifer Walla at jwalla@leegov.com

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

Thank you to our Guests First partners

• Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers-Estero/FGCU 
• The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village 
• Hampton Inn Fort Myers Downtown 
• Crowne Plaza Fort Myers Gulf Coast 
• The IMAG History & Science Center 
• ECHO Global Farm 
• Drury Inn & Suites Fort Myers Airport FGCU 

Domestic sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) Red Sox Fenway Client Event, July 13: In partnership with the VCB's Communications Team, Betsy Bush, VCB, and Tamara Parker, Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, hosted a client event at Fenway Park and networked with meeting planners, journalists and bloggers from the greater Boston area.
  
  
• (Photos 3-4) FSAE Annual Conference, July 17-19: Erin Lester, VCB; Tracy Ryan, Luminary Hotel & Co.; Nancy Simonsen, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa; Cathy Lazarus, Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa; Sandra Keneven, Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village; Nicole Logan, Crowne Plaza Ft. Myers Gulf Coast; and Rhonda Decherd, Margaritaville Beach Resort, attended education sessions and networked with meeting planners. Over 500 meeting professionals were in attendance at this show in ChampionsGate, Florida.
  
  
• (Photos 5-6) ACCESSE24 Leadership Conference, July 23-25: Betsy Bush, VCB, met and networked with association event planners from across the U.S. and Canada. About 300 meeting professionals were in attendance at this show in Toronto.

International sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) VISIT FLORIDA Der Touristik Campus Talk & Dine, July 3: Nadia Bourgault, VCB Germany, attended the joint event hosted by VISIT FLORIDA and Der Touristik in Duisburg, where she and other Florida DMOs provided updates to the attendees.
  
  
• (Photos 3-4) Brand USA 4th of July Event, July 4: Nadia Bourgault, VCB Germany, attended the annual event hosted by Brand USA in downtown Frankfurt, Germany. CEOs, marketing and product managers, tour operators, airlines and OTAs were in attendance to network and discuss business opportunities. 
  
  
• (Photo 5) Discover America Canada and U.S. Consulate Reception, July 18: The Canada VCB team attended this networking event where U.S. Consul General Baxter Hunt shared the latest outlook for Canadian tourism and that approximately 22.7 million Canadians are expected to visit the U.S. this year, spending $18.2 billion. 
  
  
• (Photo 6) Mimico Cruising Club Industry Travel Agent and Suppliers Appreciation Event, July 18: The Canada VCB team attended the evening reception and had the opportunity to network and provide destination related information to agents. About 100 travel agents and suppliers attended this appreciation event, hosted by Bob Family Travel.

September sales events

Satellite Media Tour surpasses 84M viewers - and counting!

On Aug. 15, the VCB's Miriam Dotson promoted the destination in live interviews to 25 TV and radio stations around the U.S. This satellite media tour (SMT) was shot at Edison and Ford Winter Estates and we thank them for being part of this effort to promote the Fort Myers area as a late summer getaway. 

The target markets include the Florida cities of Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami, and other cities included Huntsville, Alabama; Cincinnati; Augusta, Georgia; Columbus; Detroit; Cleveland; and more. 

Results of the SMT, by the numbers, to date:

• 1,487 airings
• 84,432,988 audience
• 851 broadcast airings
• 8 online articles
• 628 pickups from multimedia news release

Outdoorsy Diva Lauren Gay press visit, Aug. 18-20

Lauren Gay, The Outdoorsy Diva, visited the destination last month with Jackie Parker, VCB, to experience a Wet Walk at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. (At left) Rick Bauer, executive director of the Slough, led the tour through sometimes chest-deep water through a cathedral of bald cypress trees and trails. 

Lauren Gay's press visit also included a visit to the Lee County Black History Society, where she met Melinda Golden, program and events coordinator, and toured the Williams Academy with Charles Barnes, chairman. 

She also experienced Artisan Eatery and a sunset tiki boat ride aboard Nautical Tiki Cruises. We thank all of our industry partners who participated in her visit and Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach for hosting her visit. 

Communications earned media results

Industry Appreciation Awards, Oct. 25

Bonita Springs

•  Updated look, new atmosphere come to downtown Bonita Springs

Cape Coral

• Bridge update: City prepares for next step in Cape Coral Bridge replacement

Captiva Island

• Fight over increased building heights, density continues on Captiva Island

Collier County

• Tourist Development Council recommends arts, culture groups receive $750K in grants

Fort Myers 

• LeeTran to host career fair Sept. 10
• Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium to reopen Sept. 1
• Burlington Stores to open south Fort Myers location Sept. 13
• Edison and Ford to close temporarily, Sept. 17-19

Fort Myers Beach

• Margaritaville's License to Chill Bar limiting TVs due to turtle nesting season
  

Sanibel Island

• CVS Pharmacy to reopen Sanibel store destroyed by Hurricane Ian
• Sanibel Causeway restoration: New phase of work will alter traffic flows