01/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

LEE COUNTY, FL – The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida is offering two incentives for meeting planners who book business at the destination during 2009.

One offer provides a 5 percent credit off total actualized room revenue, and the other offsets the carbon footprint of meetings in the destination.

“We offered these incentives during 2008 and received positive response,” said Suya Davenport, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB), which markets The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. “So we’re extending the offers through 2009 to send a clear message to the industry that we welcome meetings business and are fully prepared to meet planners’ needs.”

Specifically, planners who bring their meetings to the destination between June 1, 2009 and Dec. 15, 2009 will receive a 5 percent credit off their total actualized room revenue to apply towards an evening reception for their meeting. To qualify, planners must book a minimum of 25 rooms per night for three or more consecutive nights at a destination property now through Aug. 1, 2009. The offer applies to new bookings and meetings that have not already been contracted.

Destination properties must have at least 4,500 square feet of meeting facilities, and actualized room revenue will be calculated based on group pick-up at the conclusion of the meeting or conference. The offer is subject to availability, and reimbursement will be issued by the VCB at the conclusion of the meeting.

In addition, to help address habitat loss and climate change, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel is continuing to make donations to The Conservation Fund’s Go ZeroSM program to offset the carbon footprint of meetings in the destination. Specifically, the VCB is donating to The Conservation Fund 100 percent of the cost of offsetting the CO2 emissions that result from any event within the destination, including attendee travel, facility energy use and off-site functions. The VCB already offsets its own events with the Fund and is encouraging meeting properties and meeting planners to do the same.

Participation is simple and free for planners. The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel provides interested planners with a worksheet, which the Fund uses to estimate CO2 emissions associated with the meeting. Once complete, the VCB will make a donation to the Fund to offset those emissions. The worksheet is available by visiting the destination’s meetings Web site at www.FortMyersSanibelMeetings.com or by request from any participating meeting property.

In addition to providing details of the destination’s 2009 booking incentives for meetings on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, the Web site provides planners with information on properties and their respective meeting space, green meeting options, the latest meeting news and more. Planners also can contact any meeting property in the destination for details.

The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel offers a variety of meeting room options via its many hotels and resorts. A total of 256,129 square feet of meeting space is available throughout the county, with area properties offering from 600 square feet up to 73,000 square feet at one venue. There also are meeting options in myriad off-site venues, including one-of-a-kind museums, parks and other attractions. The area offers a full range of properties from inexpensive motels to idyllic cottages to condominiums and full-service resort properties. Many are located within 30 minutes of Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), featuring 21 carriers making 130 daily non-stop flights to 37 domestic and five international destinations.

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