COASTE | TAKE FIVE
1 So, how’s the tourism business this year? Fabulous! We’re seeing a real uptick in lodging, not only in the numbers of people here but the average daily rate, which is obviously very important to our members. What’s just as exciting is the amount of summer traffic we’re anticipating. Now we’ve just got to do a little bit more to fill in the shoulder months. 2 3 Do you pray for lousy weather in the Midwest and Northeast, or are you just thankful for it? Just thankful. A lot of us born and raised up north, we know what winters are like and unfortunately, weather hasn’t been very good the last couple years. But there is a solution, and that’s to get out of there and come visit Sanibel and Captiva. We’re happy to have them. Talk about the volume of tourism interaction your chamber engages in. Our numbers may not compete with Florida visitor centers along the Interstates, but were seeing close to 200,000 people walk through our doors each year — which is remarkable among chambers. We’re also the only chamber-based visitor center in Florida that’s open every day of the year. We’re among the top island attractions on TripAdvisor. I call the visitor center the “front door to the islands.” We’re small in numbers but we’re large in what we provide. How is the infrastructure holding up under this tremendous tourism weight? That’s an ongoing conversation. The City does a marvelous job of getting ready for season. As far as the traffic goes, it’s one of those inconvenient success stories. A lot of our traffic is day-trippers; with Lee and Collier and Charlotte Counties at capacity, a visit to Sanibel and Captiva is high on a lot the list of a lot of guests. Say I’ve never been to Sanibel or Captiva before — pitch me. It’s a unique experience. We’re really unlike any other part of the state, and a lot of the Caribbean; in many ways we’re “Olde Florida.” No high rises, natural beauty and tremendous beaches. It’s very easy to relax and become comfortable here, and people fall in love with the place very quickly. 4 5
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