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Just Feels Right campaign gets underway
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Happy New Year! The new year brings with it the rollout of our new marketing campaign and we can't wait to share it with you because it "Just Feels Right."
As you can see with this new campaign, we will target affluent adventurers, family fun seekers, savvy explorers, social sophisticates and timeless travelers in an effort to inform and remind visitors that spending time in the greater Fort Myers area allows them to prioritize their well-being and experience relaxation they have been missing.
We also want to reassure them that the feelings invoked by being here will never change and that when you find your place, you keep coming back.
Here are a few lines from the Just Feels Right campaign:
Sometimes our days feel never-ending, when all we need to feel unstuck is the right kind of break. Generations of visitors already know the islands, beaches and neighborhoods of Fort Myers as that escape.
It's where there's time and space to focus on simple joys instead of everyday worries. To feel relaxed enough to live in the moment. Curious to discover more. Connected to the world around you. Playful and ready to let loose. Adventurous and open to whatever comes your way.
This is where we rediscover the best version of ourselves ... because whatever this place makes you feel, it Just Feels Right. And when you find a place like that, you keep coming back.
Celebrate National Plan for Vacation Day Jan. 28 We have the cure for our friends in the colder climates: Plan for vacation. We are taking advantage of this opportunity to encourage everyone to plan their vacation days for the upcoming year.
One way we are getting the word out to plan vacations to the destination is through a satellite media tour (SMT). Our Communications Team will be promoting the destination on Jan. 14 in live interviews with 21 TV and radio stations around the U.S. Some interviews will be live-to-tape and will air on Jan. 28.
The SMT interviews will air in the Florida cities of Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa and West Palm Beach, as well as national target markets, including:
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- Atlanta
- Boston
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
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- Dallas
- Detroit
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Indianapolis
- Lansing, Michigan
- Minneapolis
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- New York City
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Seattle
- Toledo, Ohio
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
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New Visitor Guide Later this month, our new digital Visitor Guide will be launching. This is one more way to put the spotlight on you, our industry partners, and it helps visitors discover all there is to eat, see and do. In the meantime, click here to see our current Visitor Guide.
We hope you have a busy and successful January and 2025! Thank you for all you do to make our slice of paradise so wonderful.
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Blue Rendezvous French Bistro
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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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Add your deal to the VCB's 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 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.
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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.
Questions? Contact the VCB's Jennifer Walla at jwalla@leegov.com.
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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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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:
- Hotel booking pace for early 2025 continues to improve for January and February. We are seeing improvements for March as we get closer to the 30-60 day booking window. Source: Travel Click; Tourism Economics
- Domestic visitation from the 500+ mile radius for November 2024 was 58.3% of visitors, a 4.9% increase compared to November 2023, indicating a return of fly-market visitation. Source: Near
- Destination website sessions increased by 19.5% for November, compared to November 2023, with 62.7% of all sessions being from mobile and 30% from desktop. Source: Google Analytics
- Average length of stay in November 2024 was 3.1 days, with 81.9% of stays including an overnight, with 73.9% being repeat visitors. Source: Near
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January paid media placements
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Our Q2 FY24/25 efforts launched this month continue to drive winter/spring visitation and support groups/meeting efforts. Here is a snapshot of our paid media placements that launch in January:
Consumer:
- AFAR – print + advertorial, display - brand, eNewsletter, social
- Golf Digest – custom content, display, email, social
- Matador – custom content, native, social, eNewsletter
- Samsung/TravelDesk – CTV, display
- Travel Spike – rich media
Meetings, weddings, travel trade:
- Honeyfund – custom content, display, social, email, native, social
- Wellness Travel University – display, email
- Sojern – display, native, video
International
- Last Minute – display
- Sojern – display, CTV
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Guests First classes available online and in-person
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Domestic sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
- (Photos 1-2) Meetings Today Live! South, Nov. 17-20: Erin Lester, VCB, Nancy Simonsen, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, and Luis Miranda, Luminary Hotel & Co., conducted individual appointments and connected with meeting planners looking to hold conferences in U.S. southern destinations. Over 75 meeting professionals attended this show in Orlando.
- (Photo 3) NTA Travel Exchange, Nov. 17-20: Candice Cocco, VCB, met with tour operators at this trade show in Huntsville, Alabama, which drew over 800 travel professionals.
- (Photos 4-6) Destination Reps (Florida group) Client Event, Nov. 21: Lauren Hyps, VCB, co-hosted a client luncheon with a holiday planter activity for 27 area meeting professionals in Minneapolis.
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International sales activities
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Rotating photos include:
(Photo 1) International Tourism and Travel Show (SITV), Nov. 1-3: Jeanette Faria, VCB Canada, participated in the three-day consumer show, which attracted 30,000 consumers. It was a great opportunity to promote the seasonal Porter Airlines nonstop flight from Montreal to Fort Myers that is currently available.
(Photos 2-3) QTA and VISIT FLORIDA Reisesommer Show, Nov. 2: Nadia Bourgault, VCB Germany, participated within the VISIT FLORIDA booth. The event, held in Mainz, Germany, was attended by over 1,150 travel agents and tour operators and 120 exhibitors. From left: Nadia Bourgault, VCB Germany; Bianca Kolic, VISIT FLORIDA; Albert Jennings, Florida Keys & Key West; and Kerstin Buhr, Visit Orlando.
(Photo 4) Spoiled Agent Travel Advisor Events, Nov. 13: Jeanette Faria, VCB Canada, attended three Spoiled Agent travel advisor events. Over 100 advisors were in attendance and Faria had the opportunity to engage and provide destination information in addition to discussing the airlift from Toronto for the winter 2024-2025 season.
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Communications team activities
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Like a Local / Hidden Gems press trip, Dec. 3-6: The Communications Team hosted 4 domestic journalists, including Alexandria Brooks, Woman's World; Marisa Roman, Only in Your State; Mark Jason Williams, freelance; and Todd Walker, freelance.
Thank you to the industry partners involved with their press trip:
- Adventures in Paradise
- Wisteria Tea Room & Cafe
- Farmer's Market Restaurant
- Wonder Gardens
- Riverside Park, Bonita Springs
- The Banyan Hotel Fort Myers, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
- McGregor Cafe
- Edison and Ford Winter Estates
- Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center
- Manatee Park
- Survey Cafe
- Shangri-La Springs
- Crave
- Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant
- The Bohemian Restaurant
- Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge
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Communications earned media results
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Visitor Services activities
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Rotating photos include:
- (Panel 1) Holidays at RSW: Our Tourism Ambassadors celebrated the holidays all December long at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) by dressing up (yes, we even have our own Santa) and decorating stockings for our Stocking Spectacular. Our Facebook followers @LeeVCB and the RSW traveling public voted the Sanibel Lighthouse stocking the Best in Show.
- (Panels 2-3) Tourism Ambassador holiday celebration: We wrapped up the year with joy, laughter and gratitude for our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors. Special thank you to the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Myers at the Bell Tower Shops for its hospitality.
- (Panel 4) Where in Southwest Florida have our Tourism Ambassadors been? They have taken familiarization tours to Sundial Beach Resort & Spa and new volunteers got a behind-the-scenes tour of RSW. A big thank you to our destination industry partners for rolling out the welcome mat for our volunteers.
- (Panel 5) Hours milestones: We celebrated Bernice's 6,500 hours, Vera's 5,000 hours and Steve’s 9,000 hours – a new record milestone hours with our Tourism Ambassador program. Thank you for your service and congratulations.
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VCB thanks Commissioner Pendergrass for his TDC service
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At the Dec. 12 Tourist Development Council (TDC) meeting, Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass was recognized by Tamara Pigott, VCB executive director, for his service from 2022 to 2024 as TDC chair. Commission Chairman Kevin Ruane was appointed as the new TDC chair.
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VCB thanks Tikipub Fort Myers Beach & Randy Wayne White
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The VCB staff recently had its annual staff development and team building day. Special thanks to Tikipub Fort Myers Beach for a wonderful morning cruise along the Matanzas Pass and to Randy Wayne White, New York Times best-selling author of the Doc Ford novels and countless other series, for taking time to speak to the group about Lee County history and its importance to tourism.
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South Seas to host job fair Jan. 7-8
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South Seas will host a job fair Jan. 7-8 at The Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon, 2158 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers.
The job fair will take place at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, and 3:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8.
The goal is to hire at least 100 employees in the next 90 days.
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Cape Coral to host Business and Industry Roundtable, Jan. 17
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The City of Cape Coral will host a Business and Industry Roundtable for the workforce and education industries on Jan. 17 at City Hall.
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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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