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. 

The Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau hosts its annual Team Tourism Summit  Thursday morning.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker has more.

A survey released Thursday by the online travel company Orbitz ranks Fort Myers among the top ten most popular travel destinations for spring breakers. WGCU’s John Davis reports.

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau announced a new, first of its kind, partnership Thursday with global travel publisher Lonely Planet.  WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

Florida’s Southwest Coast has escaped the oil slicks and tar balls generated by the Deepwater Horizon blowout.  So far, winds and currents have kept the oil far out of harm’s way.  But in a region where tourism is the largest industry by far, officials continue taking steps to spread the word.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

Lee county hotels and inns are reporting an increase in cancellations linked to the oil spill in the Gulf.  WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports on the latest efforts to convince visitors - local beaches remain pristine.

Tourism officials say they will be putting to good use the 25 million dollars the state of Florida has received from BP.  WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

The huge oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico is not expected to impact Florida’s Southwest Coast anytime soon, if at all.  But it is impacting reservations for the summer tourist season. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

Collier County businesses and tourism officials say the oil leak in the Gulf is not hurting their business - yet…but they are planning ahead just in case. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

The massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico could reach the Louisiana coast as soon as Friday.  It’s propelled by winds that have kept it away from Florida’s Gulf Coast.  But as WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports, officials here aren’t taking anything for granted.