Fort Myers is advancing sustainable tourism through a new partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program. The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) has become the first destination in Florida to join this initiative, which aims to turn tourism into direct support for local environmental and community groups.
With beaches open and wildlife populations stable, the launch of this program comes as tourism in Lee County continues to recover and expand. According to Booking.com’s 2025 Travel & Sustainability Report, travelers are showing more interest in destinations that reinvest tourism dollars into local communities.
“Our tourism industry is built on natural beauty and resilience,” said Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “The Every Stay Gives Back program allows our lodging partners to showcase sustainability outcomes and offers visitors a way to support the continued improvement of our environment.”
Through Kind Traveler’s platform, participating hotels and vacation rentals contribute part of each stay’s proceeds to local nonprofits. Guests can track these contributions using Positive Impact Dashboards or by scanning QR codes at properties, which show how funds have benefited the area. Visitors can also search for volunteer opportunities during their stay.
Small donations can have significant effects; $10 may feed a recovering wildlife patient for nearly a month or help clean up 10 miles of local roadways.
Since its launch in 2023, Every Stay Gives Back has raised over $1.6 million globally for causes such as wildlife conservation, education, and recovery efforts. The VCB hopes its adoption of this model will encourage other destinations across Florida to consider similar regenerative tourism strategies.
A list of participating organizations and nonprofit beneficiaries is available at www.visitfortmyers.com/kind-traveler.
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