Futurist Watts Wacker encouraged hospitality leaders to drum up like-minded tribes at the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau’s annual Team Tourism Summit Thursday. 

They gathered at Estero’s Coconut Point Hyatt Regency -- itself a major destination. 

As keynote speaker, Wacker talked about using niche marketing to facilitate neo-tribeing -- that is bringing like-minded people together. 

As an example, he referred to a good friend who’s a passionate nature photographer.  

“He was telling me how light is what makes photography and the light when you want it is at sunrise and sunset – but all of the local state and federal lands around here weren’t open at those times,” he said. 

The point being the resort hotel has a private island but shuttle boats only run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Expand the hours, market to the right tribe and grow business, he concluded.   

The Visitor and Convention Bureau also announced its new marketing partnership with MMG Worldwide.  

Goals for the current fiscal year include increasing overall visitation by 1-1/2 percent. 

The hospitality industry employs approximately one in five people in Lee County and has an annual economic impact of $3 billion.