Lee bed tax collections surge after slowdown

After a relatively soft tourism season in Lee County, bed tax collections for April were up 29 percent over last year, said D.T. Minich, executive director of the Lee County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“I was floored,” Minich said today at the county’s Tourist Development Council meeting. “It was very surprising. March and April together were the best two months we have ever had.”

Bed tax collections for April 2005 were just more than $1 million. This year’s collections were $1.3 million.

The total number of visitors to Lee in April was 319,600. Room nights totaled 651,037. Occupancy fell by 1.6 percent but daily room rates climbed 14.3 percent compared to last year.

Sports tourism in Lee had the best month ever in April, with total room nights up to 5,270. The total economic impact of sports tourism for the month was $2.67 million, according to Jeff Mielke, executive director of Lee County’s sports authority.

Sports brought in 3,622 participants and 6,285 spectators. The first weekend in June saw three major events, including the USA Swimming open water championship at Fort Myers Beach.

Mielke said he wants to have the first weekend in June earmarked for the swimming championship each year.

Also today, Tamara Pigott, beach and shorelines manager for the CVB, was promoted to deputy director of the bureau. She will split the responsibilities with Mark Crabb, deputy director for marketing and communications.

Pigott will be in charge of administration and beach and shoreline services. Crabb will continue to be in charge of marketing and communications.