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Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau announces new high tech Lonely Planet visitor marketing tools

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ANDREA GALABINSKI Lee County Commission Chairwoman Tammy Hall and Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau Executive Director Tamara Pigott at launch of new Lonely Planet marketing campaign.

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau unveiled new marketing tools to boost tourism locally, nationally and internationally at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.

The bureau worked with Lonely Planet, recognized internationally for tourism promotion. The final product of the campaign includes a 144-page, four-color custom guidebook that provides everything from trip planning, to a map of our highlighted destinations, to areas of interest and much more.

The VCB promotes the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel in Southwest Florida including Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Boca Grande and outer islands, North Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres.

Besides the new guidebook, the VCB announced that there is also video online that highlights key attractions, including the Shell Factory in North Fort Myers, and a custom-produced downloadable iPhone application of the guide.

“This really is a milestone,” said VCB Executive Director Tamara Pigott. “This takes our marketing to a whole new level.”

She said that when she took on the job as director of the organization, she promised to deliver unique, innovative marketing.

Lonely Planet is tech savvy and its website, lonelyplanet.com, reports more than 8 million visitors per month and 1.8 million online community members, officials said.

“We are so impressed by the level of sophistication,” said Lee County Commission Chairwoman Tammy Hall.

“Recovery of revenue depends on our promotion of tourism.”

An abundance of detail was what impressed Commissioner Ray Judah.

“‘Back road’ info,” he said. “This will give visitors a greater enriching experience when they visit.”

The guidebook will be distributed at the airport, hotels, and other spots the bureau has previously distributed tourism information.

There is also a partnership with Books-A-Million, which will give the guide as a gift with a purchase of any Lonely Planet product.

The writer given kudos for the big project is Adam Karlin, who has penned the company’s guides from Miami and the Keys to exotic locales including Kenya and Singapore.

Of visiting the North Fort Myers Shell Factory, he said, “It was gloriously kitschy. I never thought I could find a seashell lamp, but the Shell Factory changed all that.”

Of writing the guide, he compared it to a long road trip where you really get to see stuff – and enjoy it.

Many there wanted to know the origin of the name Lonely Planet.

“Actually, it is a funny story,” said Carla Guzzatti, who is senior corporation manager of client solutions for Lonely Planet. “Our founder, Tony Wheeler, heard a song and that he thought the lyric was ‘Lonely Planet’ – actually it was ‘Lovely Planet’ – but he stuck with what he first thought he heard.”

Photographer Cameron-Michael is a local resident who photographed unique sites in a unique way at many area locations, including the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center Center.

“The guidebook, mobile app and videos takes our marketing to a whole new level of credibility and gives our destination a decided marketing advantage,” said Pigott.

To learn more, go to FortMyers-Sanibel.com