FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      

Contacts:  Nancy Hamilton or Lee Rose
                (239)338-3500

Prestigious Destination Marketing Awards Competition Honors The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel 

LEE COUNTY, FL (February 9, 2004)– Inventive destination marketing has earned southwest Florida’s Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) honors by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Advertising, Golden Bell Public Relations, and Golden Click Web International Travel Awards Competition presented Jan. 26 in New York City.

           
This annual event is the largest and most prestigious travel initiative of its kind worldwide.  It recognizes the very best in all segments of the hospitality industry, including destinations, hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise lines, car rental companies, and more.  The 2003 competition attracted more than 1,500 entries from 40 countries. 

The VCB won a Gold Merit Award in the Adrian Advertising category for its  fishing TV commercials.  With the strategy of differentiating The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel from other Florida fishing destinations, the commercials combined clever writing with dramatic aerial visuals to appeal to avid fishing enthusiasts.  The commercials aired on ESPN2’s highest-rated outdoors program, The Walker’s Cay Chronicles.  Through a unique call to action, www.tarponcentral.com, this URL reinforced the brand and tracked the effectiveness of the ads.

A novel insert in The New York Times garnered the VCB a Bronze Merit Award in the Adrian Advertising category.  Designed to be upscale and sophisticated editorial, rather than a sponsored advertising section, the piece focused on the area’s rich eco-heritage stories, through the eyes of colorful, longtime residents.  The piece was effective in building brand awareness for the destination and generating qualified inquires, contributing to more than 800,000 unique users to the VCB’s Web site and requests for vacation planning information.

A Bronze Merit Award in the Adrian Advertising category was given for the “Get out and Getaway” newspaper ads.  Targeting Florida residents in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando, these ads showcased practical, nature-based itineraries, along with responsible eco-tourism messages.  These ads helped stimulate visitation from these important in-state tourist feeder markets during summer.

               
The VCB’s Nature Guide was recognized with a Bronze Merit Award in the Adrian Advertising category.  The 52-page guide educates potential visitors to the region on the importance of environmental preservation and wildlife protection.  Along with the educational and entertaining insights, facts, and tips on how best to experience the many natural resources and wonders, the guide also features practical eco-based itineraries and a guide map.  Within five months of the guide’s debut, more than 30,000 were distributed by mail and at consumer shows, both domestic and international.

           
 “The Lee County VCB is honored once again to receive such major acknowledgment for its marketing efforts,” said D.T. Minich, C.D.M.E., VCB executive director.  “We are proud to share these awards with our partner, BVK Advertising.”

In HSMAI’s past four annual competitions, the VCB has received a total of 12 awards, including the honored Platinum Award for the best city/county convention or tourist Bureau Web site in the world.