Help celebrate tourism at annual Travel Rally at Lakes Park
National Tourism Week is May 1-7.
The travel and tourism industry is one of the United States’ largest industries, generating $1.2 trillion in expenditures this past year.
And closer to home, tourism is one of the largest economic industries in Florida, with 105 million travelers visiting in 2015. During their time here, visitors generated more than $82 billion in taxable sales. That amount of spending generated $4.9 billion in tax-related revenue to the state of Florida, which is spent on schools, transportation, museums and enhancing Florida’s offerings to entice even more visitors.
Here in Lee County, tourism employs 1 out of every 5 people. We receive approximately 5 million visitors a year who spend $3 billion while in our area.
Not only do residents benefit from the economic impact of the industry in dollars and cents, but we also benefit from the quality of life that it brings.
Lee County hit a milestone this past year with more than 3 million guests in paid accommodations, another nearly 2 million visitors stayed with family and friends. International visitors represented 26 percent of visitors to the county.
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Something to celebrate
It's time to celebrate the power of tourism and to thank the industry for a great job done over the past year. The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) markets our area to the world but it's our industry partners who deliver the excellent customer service that keeps visitors coming back year after year.
The VCB in partnership with Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau invites tourism partners, employees and families, along with the community, to join us at the annual Southwest Florida Travel Rally at Lakes Regional Park in Fort Myers from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on May 4.
The event supports National Travel and Tourism Week, celebrating tourism’s impact on local businesses. The Rally champions tourism as a major engine that drives the local economy, contributes significantly to job growth, and emphasizes the vital importance of trained hospitality professionals.
With $3 billion generated in economic impact in Lee County this past year, Collier County reported $1.95 billion and Charlotte County $526 million. Working together to promote our entire region is good business for all of us.
The day is open to the public so join us as we take time to recognize the industry's accomplishments and have some fun. And by fun, I mean music, prizes (register when you arrive and you might be the winner of two roundtrip tickets on Jet Blue), food and lots of friendly competitions - Kid's Luggage Lug, Bellman's Race, Make that Bed Race, Waiter's Race for the Gold. And for the kids, there will be face painting, magic, miniature train rides and more. It's all free and I hope to see you there.
- Tamara Pigott is the executive director of The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB), the lead marketing agency charged with bringing worldwide visitors to Lee County. Almost five million visitors spend nearly $3 billion annually. The VCB is funded exclusively by a 5 percent tourist tax and works to preserve and protect area beaches and the environment.