The VCB's single business goal for 2009-2010 is to maintain Lee County bed tax collections at a FY 2008-2009 projected level for FY 2009-2010 by increasing room night revenues in paid accommodations.

Our business objectives to support this overarching goal are:

• Increase out-of-state visitors by 1.2 percent.
• Maintain in-state visitors to the projected FY2008-2009 year-over-year level.

Working closely with our industry, the VCB has identified key long-term strategies to support the overall goal of increasing the number of visitors to Lee County, their length of stay and the amount of money they spend. The VCB is committed to partnering with the local tourism industry and community leaders to continually elevate Lee County’s place in the market and accelerate the growth of the area’s vital tourism economy.

• Strengthen the Lee County brand
• Position the area as a competitively unique and compelling destination
• Fine-tune brand communications so that they engage the consumer and establish a strong emotional connection to the area’s product offerings
• Become increasingly consumer friendly in all communication touch points
• Increase the development and execution of mutually beneficial collaborative marketing partnerships
• Emphasize increasing the number of first-time visitors
• Educate elected officials and key opinion leaders on the economic importance of tourism, the need to preserve our vital natural resources, and the delicate balance between growth and sustainable tourism
• Advance the use of technology in marketing and tourism products, especially those that allow for an ongoing one-on-one contact with key audiences
• Maintain high visitor satisfaction levels through emphasis on front-line hospitality, workforce training and rewards for exceptional customer service
• Provide outstanding tourism assistance and in-person tourist information
• Protect, support and promote the infrastructure that sustains tourism
• Support existing tourism product while continuing to develop new tourism product
• Promote the area’s existing and expanding meeting facilities
• Expand and support sports efforts, which are especially important for generating inland room nights during the off-peak season
• Provide detailed, relevant, up-to-date local tourism information and research/industry trends to the local tourism industry to empower their efforts to market the destination to visitors
• Commit to green-friendly practices to preserve our destination for current and future visitors and residents.