(Rotating images) JetBlue Park, the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox and Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium, the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins. 

Spring training, new campaign and a great read

Batter up! Spring training in Fort Myers is celebrating 100 years of storied tradition. Today, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins call Fort Myers their winter home. As part of baseball’s Grapefruit League, the Red Sox will take the field at JetBlue Park through March 23, while the Twins play at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium through March 25.

This is our destination’s busiest time of year and we love seeing our partners’ warm smiles welcoming visitors from the north. Here’s to another exciting season. 

Just Feels Right brand campaign launches
The new marketing campaign was designed around the idea that people want to find moments when they can let go of everyday stressors and prioritize their well-being, with the underlying premise being that when you reclaim your sense of being present, you can follow what feels right.

With that in mind, we created a campaign with a strong emotional appeal, as research shows that ads that connect emotionally with consumers helps your audience notice, remember, share and ultimately take action. Humor is another tool that grabs attention and makes brands more relatable, plus it also helps in recall. We combined those insights with the fact that attention spans are dwindling and created five 15-second videos built around five feelings to make them easily digestible, which aligns with how people are consuming content these days. The five feelings are:

• Relaxed (being fully present in the moment)
• Adventurous (looking forward to whatever comes your way)
• Connected (closer to nature and the ones you love)
• Playful (letting loose and having fun)
• Curious (eager to discover)

Each ad sets up a misdirect to surprise and delight in a way that’s funny and memorable while showcasing different experiences that are available in our destination.

The video spots will be shown in in-state markets, including Atlanta (considered an in-state market), Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Out-of-state markets where the spots will be shown in March include Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Buffalo, Columbus, Green Bay, Madison, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Toledo. 
 
Coming up in April through July 4, the spots will be seen in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Indianapolis, Columbus, Detroit, Peoria, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

Tony Lapi's new book "Tales of an Island Innkeeper"
Fifty years ago, Tony Lapi, president and chairman of the board of Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts, set course on an audacious mission: to rescue Captiva Island’s cherished ’Tween Waters Inn from the brink of demolition.

"Tales of an Island Innkeeper" takes readers behind the scenes on his winding journey — one filled with colorful characters, iconic island events and the triumphs and tragedies that can come with the natural ebb and flow of life.

With heartfelt reflections on resilience, teamwork and perseverance, Lapi reveals the challenges and joys of working with a dedicated team to transform a

threatened island jewel into a treasure now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lapi’s passion for storytelling infuses his tales with gentle wisdom and warm humor to remind us that life’s storms — be they catastrophic hurricanes or unexpected obstacles — can lead to brighter horizons, if only we keep moving forward.

So grab your beach chair and settle in, as if you’re watching a breathtaking sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, while a lifelong — or newfound — friend shares the kind of stories that encourage perseverance and a deep connection to the tides of life we all navigate.

Reflecting his steadfast belief in the power of community, Lapi is donating all sales proceeds to the nonprofit Captiva Island Historical Society.

Enjoy this beautiful time of year in Southwest Florida and thank you for all you do. 

Ag-citing adventures await at the Southwest Florida Ag Expo, now through March 9

Attention industry partners and please share with your guests: Get ready for “An Ag-citing Adventure” at the Southwest Florida Ag Expo now through Sunday, March 9, at the Lee County Civic Center Complex, 11831 Bayshore Road. The event promises to be a family-friendly adventure filled with fun, learning and excitement for all ages. A range of interactive exhibits, thrilling rides, delicious food and an up-close look at agriculture celebrates the hard work and dedication of the community’s youth. 

NEW Sanibel Wild Mile virtual passport

The Sanibel Wild Mile is a stretch along Sanibel-Captiva Road and the island-wide bike path, home to four prominent conservation and education organizations:

• Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium
• Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)
• J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Friends group)
• Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF)

Together, they aim to foster a deeper connection to the island’s ecosystems through hands-on experiences, exhibits and educational opportunities.

Virtual passport - it's free
The Sanibel Wild Mile Passport encourages visitors to explore each of the partner organizations while collecting points along the way. Participants unlock special incentives and exclusive experiences, making their journey both fun and educational. Designed to enhance engagement with Sanibel’s natural beauty, the passport inspires both residents and tourists to discover and support the island’s unique environment. 

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

Bruno's of Brooklyn

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

Be part of the Florida Green Lodging Program

The Florida Green Lodging Program recognizes lodging facilities that voluntarily commit to protecting Florida’s natural resources. This free program helps hotels and resorts save money and increase occupancy rates. 

State government agencies and groups also give preference to Green Lodging properties when booking hotels for conference and meetings. 

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: 

• Average length of stay for December 2024 was 3.1 days with 80.4% of those being overnight. Over 77% were repeat visitors. Source: Near
  
  
• Website sessions for the month of December 2024 were 353,000, a 14.1% increase compared to December 2023. Source: Google Analytics
  
  
• Hotel room supply and demand in December 2024 increased by 4.4% and 6.7% YOY, respectively, with hotel revenue increasing by 5.3% compared to December 2023. Source: STR

March paid media placements

Our efforts in FY24/25 Q2 are largely to influence spring and early summer visitation, as well as to support the groups/meetings business. Here is a snapshot of our paid media placements launching in March.

Consumer:

• Matador – custom content
• Garden and Gun – print, display, social

Meetings, weddings, travel trade:

• VAX VacationAccess – email, display
• Honeyfund – social
• Wedding Sutra – social
• eTarget – dedicated email
• Love Stories TV – video

International

• Skyscanner – native display

Guests First classes available online and in-person

Domestic sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) Emerge, Jan. 6-8: Candice Cocco, VCB; Sandra Keneven, Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village; and Tamara Parker, Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, attended roundtable discussions, education sessions and met with faith-based meeting planners at this show in Phoenix which drew about 700 meeting professionals.
  
  
• (Photos 3-6) Travel & Adventure Shows in Atlanta & New York City, Jan. 11-12 & 25-26: Jennifer Walla, VCB, showcased the destination at our trade show booths at these shows that attracted over 27,000 total potential travelers from the greater Atlanta and New York City areas. As part of a Travel Advisor Passport Program, over 340 travel advisors personally visited our booths to discuss the destination.
  
  
• (Photos 7-8) PCMA Convening Leaders, Jan. 12-15: Betsy Bush, VCB, attended a CVB Reps Capital Chapter client reception, education sessions and networking events with meeting planners at this show in Houston which drew over 5,000 meeting professionals. 

International sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photo 1) Skift Megatrends, Jan. 9: Matthew Gardiner (third from left), UK-VCB team, attended the annual event in London where industry leaders forecast the top trends defining the year ahead.

• (Photo 2) Visit USA UK’s Meet the Media, Jan. 13: The VCB's team in the UK attended Visit USA’s first event of the year in London. This invitation-only event provided an opportunity for the media to meet with Visit USA members face-to-face to network and discuss story ideas.

• (Photos 3-4) Expipoint and Discover Airlines “Around the World” Roadshow, Jan. 14: Nadia Bourgault presented destination training to 58 agents from the Bremen area about the destination. The presentations included an update about the room availability, nature and wildlife, activities such as kayaking, cycling and culinary options.
  
  
• (Photo 5) The Telegraph Travel Marketing Huddle, Jan, 23: UK team attended the first Travel Marketing Huddle, organized by The Telegraph where 80 senior travel marketers gathered to discuss effective marketing, the power of customer recognitions, macro trends and combining AI with the human touch. Panel speakers in the photo are from The Telegraph, TikTok, Visit Jersey and Llama Marketing.

March sales events

Communications team activities

UK influencer Grace Kelly, Feb. 26-28: In partnership with VISIT FLORIDA, the Communications Team hosted influencer Grace Kelly of @graces_adventures on Instagram and YouTube. Kelly drove across the state in an RV, exploring along the way.

Thank you to the industry partners involved with her press trip:

• San Carlos RV Park & Islands
• The Franklin Shops
• Fort Myers River District
• Firestone Martini Bar & Grill
• Sunflower Cafe
• Manatee Kayaking Company
• Manatee Park
• Mellow Mushroom
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
• McGregor Cafe
• Nautical Tiki Cruises
• Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant
• Luminary Hotel & Co. 
• Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Communications earned media results

Visitor Services activities

Rotating photos include: 

• (Panel 1) Our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors assisted at ArtFest Fort Myers.
• (Panel 2) Where in Southwest Florida have our Tourism Ambassadors been? They enjoyed their visit to the Homewood Suites by Hilton Bonita Springs. A big thank you to our destination industry partner for hosting our volunteers.
• (Panel 3) In partnership with our friends at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors rolled out the welcome mat for Breeze Airways passengers arriving on an inaugural flight from South Bend, Indiana (SBN). We were all smiles welcoming visitors to Fort Myers.

Next Level Street Art, March 29-30

Fort Myers Mural Society presents Next Level Street Art emphasizing the combination of outdoor public art and fine art.

Twelve nationally known professional muralists, chalkers, interactive 3D space and plein aire artists will bring their work to the sidewalks and skylines of Fort Myers.

This is a visitor's opportunity to see the artists in action and participate in interactive art exhibits. The VCB is supportive of the unique, creative work of the mural society. 

• Where: Bennett-Hart Park, 2330 Martin Luther King Blvd., Fort Myers
• When: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, March 29; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, March 30
• More info: fortmyersmuralsociety.com

April schedule of events focusing on the Art of the Calusa