Click Arrows for other
savings, news and more.
savings, news and more.
|
Find
|
News Release
<< Return to news releasesLive Like a Tourist During National Tourism Week
May 7, 2009
Local residents are encouraged to live like a tourist and support the local economy during Tourism Week in Collier County.
View File
Naples, Fla. (May 7, 2009) – National Tourism Week this year is May 9-17. In Collier County, the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau is encouraging locals to live like a tourist during tourism week by patronizing area attractions, restaurants and shops that they may have overlooked or forgotten about. To start planning how you can live like a tourist this coming week, check out the list of deals available through the bureau’s VIP (Values in Paradise) card at www.paradisecoast.com/values.
The CVB’s annual summer VIP card is filled with discounts and deals at area attractions, restaurants and shops. It is free and available for pickup at four area visitor centers – Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Naples Association, Marco Island Chamber of Commerce and Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce. Locals are encouraged to use the VIP card to reacquaint themselves with the many quality local businesses that provide excellent opportunities to reconnect with friends and relatives.
“The VIP card is a powerful incentive that we use to attract summer visitors, but during Tourism Week, we’d like our local residents to familiarize themselves with the excellent deals and discounts that are available on the 2009 VIP card - then remember to share the card with friends and family that visit this summer,” says Jack Wert, Collier County’s tourism executive director.
In addition to the VIP deals available, one area attraction is offering a special thank you to locals this year during Tourism Week. The Naples Players are hosting Local Appreciation Night at Sugden Theatre on Wednesday, May 13. Locals who reserve tickets for that evening’s performance of Sugar Bean Sisters will enjoy a champagne reception prior to the performance. Tickets are $30 and available at the box office on 5th Avenue South or on the Web at www.naplesplayers.org.
“During Tourism Week we would like to remind the community that because of the dollars generated by vacationers in our area, local residents realize an annual savings of approximately $650 on their local taxes*,” said Wert. “Visitors pay sales, hotel and gas taxes and make purchases that keep our local restaurants, attractions and shops in business throughout the year, for a total annual economic impact of $1.2 billion. The 4% tourist development tax, or hotel tax, funds beach renourishment and other coastal projects, local museums and funds the area’s destination marketing programs, and tourism employs over 31,000 people in Collie County. The economic impact from visitors also helps keep our restaurants and attractions open throughout the year.”
The Paradise Coast VIP (Values in Paradise) card provides discounts throughout the Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades area May 1 through December 15, 2009. The VIP card offers visitors thousands of dollars in savings at participating restaurants, attractions, and shops. Some of the savings for 2009 include attraction discounts, buy-one-get-one-free or half-off offers and other discounts and deals. The VIP card is free to all visitors, can be used immediately upon arrival, and is easily found at four convenient visitor center locations: the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Naples Association Visitors Center, Marco Island Chamber of Commerce, and the Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.ParadiseCoast.com/values to check out all the available offers and begin planning your savings strategy.
For more information on visiting the Paradise Coast – Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades, visit www.paradisecoast.com or call 1-800-688-3600 to request a free visitors guide. The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB is the official destination marketing organization for Collier County, Florida and is completely funded by the tourist development tax paid by visitors staying at hotels, short term vacation rentals and campgrounds.
# # #
*Research Data Services, Inc.
