The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Island Treasures Tour fact sheet

CONTACTS: Jackie MacKay (407) 814-0014 work; (407) 496-1770 cell
Nancy Hamilton, Lee Rose, Katie Meckley (239) 338-3500

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB), representing The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel on southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, is executing a three year-long promotional road show to bring the popular vacation destination to prospective visitors in key feeder markets throughout the U.S. The Island Treasures Tour features a 40-foot-long recreational vehicle (RV) wrapped in dramatic destination images designed to help position the destination as “Florida’s authentic island sanctuary.” In 2008 and 2009, the RV was on the road more than 400 days stopping at more than 200 events and reaching more than 1.5 million consumers. Its tour stops included consumer events, travel agencies, meeting planners’ offices and the state’s legislative session in Tallahassee – much of which is continuing in 2010.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Island Treasures Tour is designed to: 1) increase visitation to the destination among targeted consumers with a special emphasis on first-time visitors, 2) entice increased business from meeting planners, travel agents and tour operators by creating new relationships and strengthening existing ones, and 3) help build relationships with key legislators to further the destination’s political needs.

TOUR SCHEDULE

The Island Treasures Tour RV began its public tour on Dec. 31, 2007 at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando and is on the road through the end of 2010 for a total of nearly 300 public appearances at travel and outdoor-themed consumer shows, art festivals, boat shows, and spring training games throughout Florida and in key feeder markets such as Boston and New York. In addition, the promotional RV is visiting travel agencies and tour operators’ and meeting planners’ offices to promote increased visitation and meetings business for the destination; and it makes periodic appearances at select tourism industry events and the legislative session in Tallahassee.

TOUR VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel’s promotional RV is a brand manager’s dream machine on wheels. The 40-foot-long vehicle is fully equipped with a patio sales/display area, meeting area, VIP reception area, large flat-screen television monitors and surround sound. The RV is wrapped in vinyl from front to back with one dramatic image of the destination covering each side of the vehicle, including scenes from J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and fishing near the Sanibel Lighthouse.

GOING GREEN

In keeping with its mission of preserving the destination for future visitors, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel has offset the carbon footprint of its energy use and travel for the tour by donating funds to Go ZeroSM, a program to combat global warming launched by The Conservation Fund. Go Zero has helped the destination measure its carbon dioxide emissions, including those for the RV tour; and The Conservation Fund has offset that impact by planting native trees that absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. Carbon production is based on the estimated number of miles that the RV will be driven during the year, the RV’s average miles per gallon and the use of the vehicle’s generator. Each gallon of gas used produces 20 pounds of carbon, and the total production for the current year is projected to be 29 tons. Hence, Go Zero is planting 26 trees to offset the carbon footprint of the Island Treasurers Tour. In addition, the RV crew will recycle as much as possible, plus promote recycling to consumers at all events by providing recycle bins. Furthermore, they are using eco-friendly cleaning supplies and a solar charger for the RV’s battery.

RV TOUR COMPANY

EventStrategic is a 27-year-old marketing company based in Indialantic, Fla., that specializes in experiential marketing at special events. The company began in 1982 with the task of introducing and launching the then-newest cell phones commonly referred to as anchors. That successful program led EventStrategic to work for some of the world’s best known brands, including Sprint, Burger King, BlockBuster, Fuji Film, Motorola, Sony, Bell Mobility, Coke, Pepsi, AMF, Clear Channel and Cox Media radio stations, McDonald’s, Walt Disney World and Sanyo. Wrapping a brand around a promotional tour RV – some big enough to be seen from outer space -- then positioning the brand as a focal point at many of the nation’s large events helps EventStrategic reach consumers when and where they are most receptive to a new message. The company has made more than 40,000 event promotion appearances to date for its clients, including stops at NASCAR races, NFL and college football games, pro sporting events of all kinds, shopping malls, resorts, live radio and television remote broadcasts, golf tournaments, trade shows, boat shows, concerts, festivals, parades and more.

RV CREW

The Island Treasures Tour RV is driven by Gordon and Elaine Waeckerle, who have traveled throughout Florida providing a wide array of services for trade shows and conventions. Originally from St Louis, Mo., Gordon spent 36 years working for Ralston Purina and then Ameren UE before retiring to Florida to work in the hospitality and convention business. Also from St. Louis, Elaine worked for Maritz Motivation Company for 17 years before retiring to Florida. The two are supervised by EventStrategic Senior Vice President, Gary McCann, who helped start the company that is managing the Island Treasures Tour for the destination.