You can’t keep a good destination down – and that’s true even when it’s in recovery-mode. Fort Myers has made great strides since Hurricane Ian just over a year ago, and for this upcoming winter, the destination has additional air service and more than 70% of its hotel rooms available. That’s 10,000+ rooms, “with more and more opening up each month,” says Charm Evans, Global Sales Manager for the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, in this edition of Take 5.
1. Is Fort Myers fully back on its feet after the 2022 hurricane?
“The area is still undergoing recovery across the region, and we are working continuously to restore the destination. There is still much to do throughout, however the natural beauty of the area can still be seen across the many neighbourhoods. We are resilient and will continue progressing.
“Direct air capacity to the destination was down from January to July this year when compared to 2019, which is understandable given the situation when most of the accommodations were closed and the destination was recovering.
“However, this upcoming winter we have additional air service and more than 70% of our hotel rooms available (more than 10,000) with more and more opening up each month.”
2. What are some perennial favourite attractions for Fort Myers visitors, and what’s new that visitors will want to discover?
“The River District’s monthly Art and Music Walks occur on the first and third Friday of every month. Downtown Fort Myers comes alive with art lovers strolling the streets filled with art exhibits, demonstrations and art galleries exhibiting new artists and unique crafts. Music Walk incorporates live music- from jazz to rock and everything inbetween. These two events liven up the historic streets and are not to be missed.
“Island Hopper Songwriter Fest is a 10-day music festival in Southwest Florida featuring performances from singer-
songwriters from Nashville and nationwide. Music enthusiasts and locals can catch these performances at many venues on Captiva Island, Fort Myers, and Fort Myers Beach.
“Also, the J.N. ‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s ‘Art in the Wild’, taking place this weekend, celebrates art and nature with unique activities on Sanibel Island.
“Visit our Arts & Entertainment webpage for a full list of all the events happening in our area.
“Regarding accommodations, the highly anticipated 254-room resort, Margaritaville, on six acres of Fort Myers Beach will begin taking reservations on December 26 th , 2023. There are also properties such as Sanibel Island Beach Resort that has reopened on Sanibel Island.
“Visitors won’t want to miss these two great discount opportunities this winter: Sun Saver Passport, and Dine, Play, Shop, Sip. This popular, digital savings pass provides instant access to a variety of deals and experiences from area attractions, restaurants and more across four categories – Dine, Play, Shop and Sip. Sign-up is simple and free. Passports are instantly delivered to phones via text and email. And there is an option for users to save the pass on their home screen for one-tap access: visitfortmyers.com/sun-saver-passport.”
3. What can you tell us about lift from Canada to Fort Myers for the fall / winter 2023-2024 season?
“There are several airlines that fly into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW). These include Air Canada’s year-round nonstop service from Toronto, and WestJet’s year-round nonstop service from Toronto.
“In addition, we have Porter Airlines that will be starting seasonal daily nonstop service from Toronto on Nov. 10, 2023 and Lynx Air will be providing seasonal nonstop flights from Toronto starting Dec. 1, 2023 with four weekly flights.”
4. What is it about Fort Myers that makes it such a favourite for Canadian travellers year after year?
“The destination’s white sand beaches and an abundance of nature and wildlife! Canadians love kayaking along the 300 km of paddling trails, biking on the 40 km of paved paths on Sanibel, golfing at one of the 50 courses, fishing the back bay areas and just spending the day picking up shells along the beach.
“Positioned on the Gulf of Mexico, it’s an easygoing destination with pristine barrier islands, great outdoor activities, casual waterfront dining with fresh local seafood and warm weather – with an average temperature of 24°C.”
5. How can travel advisors learn more about Fort Myers?
“Please visit our website at visitfortmyers.com, where you can also view webcams and access our digital travel guide. You can also reach out to Jeanette Faria, Account Manager here in Canada at jeanette@voxinternational.com or (416) 935-1896, ext. 239.”
