The all-new Captiva Landing water park at South Seas features slides, a lazy river, splash zones, pools and casual dining. 

2026 starts strong with Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue & Sanibel, the board game 

Happy New Year, everyone! As colder weather settles in across much of the country, we are excited to see so many travelers packing up and heading south to enjoy our warm, sunny destination. Both new and returning visitors will discover a variety of fresh experiences this season, including the newly opened Captiva Landing (pictured above) at South Seas.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue
Last summer during our partner listening sessions, many of you shared that perception remains a challenge, particularly in our coastal communities, with visitors still asking whether beaches and attractions are open. You asked for a stronger, unified message that reinforces that our destination is indeed open, vibrant and welcoming guests.

In response, we're proud to share that our area will be one of the featured locations in the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue featuring female athletes. South Seas will be the host property and many points of interest throughout the county are being considered for inclusion in the photo shoots.

This partnership includes coverage in the print edition, on newsstands in May, along with digital features, social media posts, travel video content and b-roll, plus massive earned media from global PR buzz.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit reaches a worldwide audience of affluent, active, experience-driven travelers. The 2024 issue generated more than 80 billion total PR impressions, reinforcing the scale of reach that this partnership provides.

Sales & Communications teams hit the road
January is a high-energy month for the VCB Sales Team as we take the destination on the road to key cold-weather markets. Our team will connect directly with leisure travelers at the Travel & Adventure Show in New York, engage meeting planners at PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association) Convening Leaders in Philadelphia and work with group tour operators at the American Bus Association Marketplace in Reno, Nevada.

Internationally, we will participate in multiple trade fairs across Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, reaching leisure travelers and key travel trade partners in important European markets. These efforts focus on building relationships, maintaining visibility and driving future visitation to our community.

In addition, our Communications Team will be in New York for IMM (International Media Marketplace), meeting with travel writers from around the world. The global event provides another valuable opportunity for the VCB to promote the destination, reinforce that our communities are welcoming visitors and encourage future travel storytelling that keeps Lee County top of mind.

Sanibel, the board game
Sanibel isn’t just an island, it’s now a board game. Created by game developer Elizabeth Hargrave and inspired by her family’s beach walks on Sanibel, the game invites players to stroll the shoreline and collect  seashell tiles along the way. Hargrave is best known as the creator of Wingspan, and Sanibel is produced by Avalon Hill and Hasbro.

As part of the game promotion, a group of visiting German travel writers learned to play the new Sanibel board game while aboard the Lady Chadwick, just off the coast with the Sanibel Lighthouse in view. Turning the simple joy of shelling into a board game the whole family can play is another creative way to spark interest in the island, reinforce that Sanibel is open and inspire curiosity that can translate into future visits. 

The game is currently available at independent businesses on Sanibel and online, with availability at big-box retailers later this year. To learn more about how the game came to be, listen to an interview with Hargrave on the latest episode of Shellcast. 

Looking ahead
As we move through the heart of the winter travel season, we are encouraged by the continued interest in our destination and the momentum building across markets. We’re grateful for the collaboration and dedication of our tourism partners, whose work helps create memorable visitor experiences and long-term benefits for our community. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we look ahead to a successful season and a promising year.

86% of hotels in Lee County are open for business

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: 

• Sanibel Siesta Beach Resort and CROW
  
• Sea Gypsy Vacation Rentals 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. Contact the VCB's Nancy MacPhee, destination development manager, at nmacphee@leegov.com

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

Congratulations to the newest Certified Guest Service Professionals!

Congratulations to the fall 2025 Guest First cohort on earning the Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP) designation. Your commitment to creating guest experiences helps elevate Lee County as a world-class destination.

We are proud to recognize the following Lee County businesses and organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to service excellence by having one or more employees certified as a CGSP in 2025:

• Bonita Fish Company
• Bubba’s Roadhouse & Saloon
• City of Cape Coral
• City of Sanibel Recreation Center
• Cottages to Castles
• Dixie Fish Company
• Doc Ford’s
• Drury Inn & Suites

• Edison and Ford Winter Estates
• Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce
• Hilton Garden Inn
• Lee County Clerk of Courts
• Lee County Parks & Recreation
• Lee County Port Authority
• Lee County Solid Waste

• Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
• Sanibel Arms West Condo Association
• Sanibel Moorings Condo Association
• Sugarshack Downtown
• Sun Harvest Citrus
• Sun Village Vacations

Industry partners: Score big this summer with a spot on the World Cup deals page

Want to be part of the VCB's World Cup deals page? Industry partners are invited to submit special offers by contacting the VCB's Vanessa Gomez, marketing coordinator, at vgomez@leevcb.com

Threshold 360 offers free filming of your business

The VCB has partnered with Threshold 360 to offer free filming of your tourism business for a virtual tour.

Limited spaces available so don't miss out on this amazing opportunity. Contact the VCB's Alison Giesen, destination development coordinator, at agiesen@leegov.com

Leonard & Hyatt Coconut Point ConventionSouth Readers' Choice Award winners

Congratulations to Trish Leonard and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa on being honored with ConventionSouth’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Leonard, owner and founder of TLC Marketing & Creative Services Inc., was named a Meeting Planner to Watch. Read more about Trish Leonard 

The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa was also recognized among Florida’s state-by-state winners, highlighting the resort’s continued excellence in meetings and events.

Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall tops Billboard charts

Billboard has announced its 2025 Full Year Boxscore Rankings, and in the category of venues with capacities of 2,500 or less, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW ranked No. 1 in Florida and No. 4 in the world.

The rankings, released by Billboard, highlight top-performing venues globally. 

International sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) Granite Travel Trade Expo, Ontario, Nov. 3-5: Jeanette Faria, VCB Canada, represented the destination at travel advisor trainings and trade shows in Ottawa, Kingston and Vaughan, promoting seasonal nonstop winter air service. Collectively, the three events reached and engaged more than 400 travel advisors. 

• (Photo 3) Visit USA Germany Halloween Workshop, Frankfurt, Nov. 7-8: The VCB Germany team represented the destination at Visit USA’s Annual Halloween travel agent event, connecting with 90 travel agents from across Germany during a full day of education and networking. 

• (Photo 4) Travel Counsellors Conference, Liverpool, Nov. 7-9: The VCB UK team reached 100 travel agents at the TC Marketplace information table and hosted a table of Travel Counsellors at the Gala Dinner, driving strong interest and engagement in the destination. 

• (Photo 5) Faszination Fernweh Touristik and Caravaning, Leipzig, Germany, Nov. 19-23: The VCB Germany team attended the annual travel and outdoor tourism fair focused on long-haul and experiential travel, which marked the event’s first consumer show since the pandemic and attracted more than 130 participants. The team showcased Fort Myers’ hotel offerings, outdoor activities and day-trip itinerary options.

Domestic sales activities

Rotating photos include:

• (Photos 1-2) AAA Threads Tradeshow & Rhode Island sales calls, Nov. 17-18: Jennifer Walla, VCB, connected with travel advisors and met with AAA agents.
  
  
• (Photos 3-6) Midwest-Northeast Meeting Planner FAM, Nov. 4-7: The VCB welcomed meeting planners from the Midwest and Northeast for a destination education visit.

January sales events

Communications team activities

Rotating photos include: 

• (Panel 1) Ana Milena, Colombia travel writer, Dec. 4-8: In partnership with VISIT FLORIDA, Milena visited the destination to show her audience in Colombia hidden gems and well-known experiences. She focused on outdoor and water activities that gave her the chance to connect with the area's natural beauty. Photo at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers of Milena with her photographer Diego Gomez.
  
  
• (Panels 2-3) Germany Press Trip, Dec. 6-11: Travel writers from Germany stayed at a variety of properties, including Shalimar Beach Resort, Jensen's Twin Palm Marina & Cottages and The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. A few highlights of their visit included a chocolate & wine pairing hosted by Norman Love at his store in Fort Myers, lunch at the new Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina in Cape Coral, a voluntourism opportunity to restore a gopher tortoise habitat with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation's and creating flowers with the Shellcrafters at Sanibel Community House. 

New Shellcast podcast episode: Shell Yeah, Sanibel's a Board Game

Communications team earned media results

January paid media placements

Midway through FY25/26 Q1, we have several Jan. 1 launches comprised of multiple integrated packages, including custom content, pre-roll, advertorial spreads, social integrations and native placements. Additionally, our media features a robust mix of e-newsletters, streaming audio, video and traditional display designed to drive spring travel to the destination.

Below is a snapshot of our upcoming paid media placements launching in January.

Consumer

• Atlas Obscura – custom content, social, display
• Conde Nast – custom content, social, display, video, audio
• Tastemade – pre-roll, video
• Vox – display, custom content, native, social
• Hopper – custom content, native, social
• Travel Spike – display, video

Meetings, weddings, travel trade:

• TravelDesk, meeting planners – display, native, video, rich media
• TravelDesk, weddings – display, native, rich media
• David's Bridal – e-newsletter, native, podcast, social
• Garden & Gun – social, display, e-newsletter, native, social

Visitor Services activities

Here's a quick update on what our Tourism Ambassadors have been up to. 

• Holidays at RSW: Our Tourism Ambassadors celebrated the holidays all December long at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) by greeting the traveling public in fun holiday gear.
• Tourism Ambassador holiday celebration: We wrapped up the year with joy, laughter and gratitude for our volunteer Tourism Ambassadors. Special thank you to our friends at Lakes Park for hosting us.
• Where in Southwest Florida have our Tourism Ambassadors been?
  They enjoyed their visits to:
• Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve
• FastTrax Fort Myers
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Myers Airport
• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
• Sanibel Inn

A big thank you to our destination industry partners for hosting our volunteers.

Go out and support these TDC-funded events

41st Cape Coral Arts Festival, Jan. 10-11

Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival, Jan. 24-25

Wonder Gardens 90th Celebration, Jan. 31-Feb. 1