Island Hopper Songwriter Fest alum Hunter Smith on Fort Myers Beach in 2024. This year's event is set for Sept. 19-28 with performances on Captiva, Cape Coral, downtown Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach.

A season of song and celebration

If it’s September, it must be time for Island Hopper Songwriter Fest!

Now in its 11th year, Island Hopper was created to boost visitation during one of the most challenging times of the year. We look forward to seeing you Sept. 19-28 at one of the more than 80 performances by over 60 BMI singer-songwriters across four communities in the Fort Myers area:

• Captiva Island | Sept. 19-21

• Cape Coral | Sept. 22-23

• Downtown Fort Myers | Sept. 24-25

• Fort Myers Beach | Sept. 26-28

For the full lineup, lodging deals and ticket information, visit IslandHopperFest.com or download the Island Hopper app.

For a sneak peek, tune in to Shellcast, the podcast that's a beach break for your ears, featuring an interview with BMI singer-songwriter Angie K — who will also open for festival headliner Chris Young on Sept. 28.

Welcome back: Shalimar Beach Resort

On Sept. 28, three years after Hurricane Ian, Shalimar Beach Resort officially reopens. Shalimar is the first resort on Sanibel Island to be completely rebuilt on the island in nearly 40 years.

Located on West Gulf Drive, the resort features 33 accommodations — including 21 studio rooms, 10 one-bedroom villas and two two-bedroom villas — across seven buildings. Guests will enjoy 360 feet of private beachfront, a pool, on-site equipment rentals, picnic and BBQ areas and a rooftop deck with Gulf views.

Thank you for sharing your voice

We are grateful to the many industry partners who joined our listening sessions in August. Your feedback and ideas are invaluable as we continue to shape the future of Lee County tourism.

Please join us to continue the conversation at the VCB's Annual Meeting on Nov. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point.

Together, we look forward to a fall season filled with music, milestones and meaningful connections. Thank you for all you do.

From left: Eric Marshall, VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors chair; Brian Ososky, Lee County VCB chief marketing officer; Tamara Pigott, Lee County VCB executive director; Lesley-Ann Thompson, Lee County VCB marketing director; Katie Varano, MMGY Global account director; and Bryan Griffin, VISIT FLORIDA CEO. 

VCB brings home a Henry award from Governor's Conference 

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau earned two prestigious Flagler Awards for outstanding creativity and measurable results in tourism marketing.

• Henry Award (Best in Category): A Bird’s-Eye View of Fort Myers – an interactive, augmented-reality direct mailer that engaged families with wildlife illustrations and boosted visitation from key Midwest markets.

  VIEW THE PROJECT

• Silver Award (Tourism Advocacy): Savor the Shore – a multimedia dining campaign spotlighting neighborhoods and supporting local restaurants with more than 35 million impressions and 7,000+ referrals.

  SEE THE CAMPAIGN

These awards celebrate the VCB’s creative collaboration and commitment to innovative campaigns that deliver real results for our destination.

VCB wins 7 awards for Island Hopper at SUNsational Awards

The VCB brought home seven awards at the Florida Festivals & Events Association (FFEA) SUNsational Awards during its 31st annual convention and tradeshow, held Aug. 12-14 in Orlando. 

The SUNsational Awards program recognizes innovation, individuality and creative collaboration in Florida's event industry.

Island Hopper Songwriter Fest was honored with the following awards:

• First place – Website
• First place – Television
• First place – Radio
• First place – Promotional video
• First place – Banners
• First place – Mobile app
• Second place – T-shirt

The recognition underscores the VCB's continued commitment to showcasing the destination through engaging and creative marketing.

Next year's FFEA annual convention will be held in Fort Myers. 

84.4% of hotels in Lee County are open for business

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 

• Hotel performance: Hotel room supply and demand increased year-over-year by 10.6% and 7.9%, respectively, with revenue up 17.1% compared to June 2024. Source: STR
  
  
• Visitor behavior: Domestic visitors averaged a 4.2-day length of stay in June 2025, a 40% increase year-over-year. Overnight stays accounted for 65.2% of visits with 60.7% originating from more than 500 miles away. International visitors averaged a 7.8-day length of stay with Canada being the largest market in June 2025. Source: Near
  
  
• Booking pace: Total rooms sold in July remained relatively flat year-over-year. August’s booking pace is currently down 1% compared to the same time last year. Source: Amadeus
  
  
• Visitor spending: Domestic Visa card spending reached $89 million, a 12.5% increase over last year. International Visa card spending increased by 11.9%, totaling $4.3 million. Source: Visa Destination Insights
  

We direct thousands of potential visitors to our website to promote Island Hopper Songwriter Fest and we want them to know about YOUR business! We're collecting deals from accommodations, restaurants, shops, attractions and more.

Email the VCB’s Vanessa Gomez at vgomez@leegov.com to submit your deal and thank you. 

Kind Traveler provides guests a way to give back

The VCB is proud to be the first destination marketing organization in Florida to partner with Kind Traveler, a socially conscious booking platform that gives back to the community. This collaboration supports several of our local conservation partners. 

Confirmed participating hotels and their associated nonprofit partners include: 

• Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina and Captains for Clean Water
• Sanibel Siesta Beach Resort and CROW
  
• Sea Gypsy Inn and Keep Lee County Beautiful
• 'Tween Waters Inn & Marina and CROW

Lodging partners are encouraged to join the launch of Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program and showcase your property’s commitment to Lee County’s future.

As part of the program, your property will be featured on this landing page. 

Explore more with Parks, Points & Perks Pass

Parks, Points & Perks is a free and fun way to discover the natural beauty of our islands, beaches and neighborhoods.

Now through May 2026, check in at more than 30 parks, preserves and recreation spots using a digital pass to earn points toward prizes like a drawstring backpack, free memberships, parking passes and more.

Visit 20 sites and you’ll be entered to win the grand prize: a two-night stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Myers and a Family Fun Day at Lakes Park.

Questions? Contact the VCB’s Vanessa Gomez at vgomez@leegov.com.

Tourism news

• Whataburger plans first SWFL location in south Fort Myers
• Punta Gorda Airport opens $8.1M rental car center
• Cape Coral aims for sky-high patriotism with Florida's tallest flag proposal
• San Carlos Bay's new reef promises cleaner waters and thriving marine life
• Punta Rassa boat ramp reopens after Hurricane Ian closure
• Edison and Ford Winter Estates honored by American Alliance of Museums
• Fort Myers welcomes 100 Spin scooters in downtown soft launch
• Legacy Harbour Marina rebuilds after Hurricane Ian
• Southern Roots Kava Bar opens in south Fort Myers
  
• FGCU advances plans for academic building at Babcock Ranch
• Lee County approves rezoning for South Seas Resort in Captiva

Domestic sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) Florida Society of Association Executives Annual Conference, July 9-11: Erin Lester, VCB, met with 50 association executives in a closed-door setting, enhancing brand visibility in West Palm Beach.
  
  
• (Photos 3-4) Red Sox Fenway Client Event, July 11: Betsy Bush and Ray Sarracino, VCB, co-hosted meeting planners, bloggers and journalists during the Tampa Bay Rays-Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park in Boston.
  
  
• (Photos 5-7) Minnesota Twins Client Event, July 29: Lauren Hyps, VCB, strengthened relationships with 13 meeting planners in Minneapolis to generate interest for Lee County. 

International sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photo 1) Visit USA Summer Affair, London, July 2: Matthew Gardiner and Lucy Bairstow, VCB UK, attended this annual networking event that brings together travel industry professions and media partners. This year’s event was attended by over 350 UK professionals.

• (Photos 2-3) Discover America Canada Meeting, Toronto, July 15: Susan Webb and Jeanette Faria, VCB Canada, attended the meeting held at the U.S. Consul General’s home in Toronto where they were presented with an update on upcoming initiatives and plans for 2025 to promote the U.S. 

• (Photo 4) British Airways Holidays Training Day, Manchester, UK, July 16: Lucy Bairstow, VCB UK, attended this event to educate key trade partners on destination offerings. Throughout the day, Bairstow trained 40 British Airways Holidays agents.

• (Photo 5) Product Manager Lunch, London, July 18: The VCB UK team hosted an appreciation lunch in partnership with The Florida Keys & Key West at The Ivy City Garden. This was an opportunity to engage with operators and highlight the ease of travel between the two destinations via the Key West Express.

September sales events

Communications team activities

Scandinavia press trip, Aug. 16-22: Danish travel writer Line Olesen of JFM experienced the newly reopened Bubble Room on Captiva, took a site visit of Shalimar Beach Resort on Sanibel with property owner Sean Niesel and browsed MacIntosh Books + Paper and bought a few books from store owner Rebecca Binkowski.  

Thank you to our industry partners, who were also part of this visit, including:

• Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium
• Captiva Cruises
• CROW
• Dixie Fish
• Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille
• Edison and Ford Winter Estates
• Ella Mae's Diner
• Farmers Market Restaurant
• Ford's Garage
• Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve
• Izzy's Fish & Oyster
• Luminary Hotel & Co.
• McGregor Cafe
• MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
• Over Easy Cafe
• Shellcrafters, Sanibel Community House
• Shima
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
• Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
• Tarpon Bay Explorers
• Oxbow Bar & Grill
• The Village Shops, Sanibel
• Wickie's Lighthouse Restaurant

September paid media placements

In FY24/25 Q4, our efforts are centered on driving fall visitation to the destination and supporting consumer, groups and meetings business. Below is a snapshot of the upcoming paid media placements launching in September. 

Consumer

• Florida Weekly – email
  
  

Meetings, weddings, travel trade:

• Wellness Travel University – display & email
• Bridal Guide – social & print
• Recommend – social, e-newsletter & print
• Northstar Agents at Home – print