FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 16, 2025
CONTACTS: Jackie Parker, Miriam Dotson 239-338-3500

Lee County Tourist Development Council
welcomes new member

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – The Lee Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) recently appointed John Lai to the Lee County Tourist Development Council (TDC).

Lai will serve as a nonvoting member of the TDC representing the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA).

Lai is President and CEO of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce. He most recently served as Board Chair of VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism marketing organization, and from 2023 to 2025 was Regional Director of FRLA (2023-25).

“John has long been a champion for Florida’s tourism industry through his leadership at the SanCap Chamber, VISIT FLORIDA and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association,” said Kevin Ruane, chairman of the Lee Board of County Commissioners who also chairs the TDC. “We are fortunate to have his experience and perspective at the table as he represents FRLA on the TDC.”

The nine voting seats of the TDC are composed of three elected officials, three representatives from accommodations collecting the tourist tax and three representatives from tourism-related industries, as directed by Florida Statutes.

In 2022, the BoCC voted to add the four seats to allow each of the municipalities a seat on the TDC. These four additional members represent the incorporated municipalities not currently serving on the TDC in one of the two municipal rotating seats.

The TDC was established as an advisory board to the BoCC in 1983 to increase off-season tourism in Lee County.

For more information about the TDC, visit leevcb.com and leegov.com/bocc.

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John Lai photo upload