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Live From IPW: Tamara Pigott on Southwest Florida's Recovery and the Evolution of Fort Myers Tourism
Southwest Florida is proving that beach destinations can evolve beyond sun and sand while maintaining their natural magic. In this IPW 2025 episode, recorded live on the conference floor in Chicago, Tamara Pigott, executive director of Visit Fort Myers, joins Afar editorial director Billie Cohen to share how she's helped transform the region into a world-class travel destination over her 25 years with the organization, including 10 years in the top position.
Tamara discusses how Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, and Captiva Island have become household names while balancing tourism growth with environmental conservation. The region stands out as the "seashell capital of America" and maintains nearly 70 percent of Sanibel Island as preserved land with strict building height restrictions.
The conversation covers the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ian, a Category 5 storm that hit in 2022, and how the tourism industry has rebounded with over 80 percent of accommodations now reopened destination-wide. Tamara also explores emerging trends like solo travel and how the region's vibrant downtown districts are creating urban experiences that complement the natural coastal attractions.
What You'll Learn
Key Moments
[Beginning] Tamara explains how the Fort Myers region offers a "natural experience" with migratory birds, dolphins, and manatees beyond traditional beach tourism
[Middle] Discussion of Hurricane Ian recovery efforts, with over 50 percent of island accommodations now reopened and destination-wide recovery at over 80 percent
[Middle] Tamara shares advice for other DMOs facing natural disasters: build deep relationships with emergency management, mayors, and community leaders before crisis hits
[End] Exploration of solo travel trends and how Fort Myers caters to travelers aged 45-55 seeking peaceful getaways
Resources
Stay Connected
Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all 20 IPW episodes this week.
Follow @AfarMedia on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes IPW content.
Sign up for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.
Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights.
Explore our other podcasts, Travel Tales, where we share first-person narratives of trips that have changed us, and Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.
This IPW 2025 special series was recorded live in Chicago. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media’s podcast network (email [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.
View all episodes
By Afar Media
5
22 ratings
Southwest Florida is proving that beach destinations can evolve beyond sun and sand while maintaining their natural magic. In this IPW 2025 episode, recorded live on the conference floor in Chicago, Tamara Pigott, executive director of Visit Fort Myers, joins Afar editorial director Billie Cohen to share how she's helped transform the region into a world-class travel destination over her 25 years with the organization, including 10 years in the top position.
Tamara discusses how Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, and Captiva Island have become household names while balancing tourism growth with environmental conservation. The region stands out as the "seashell capital of America" and maintains nearly 70 percent of Sanibel Island as preserved land with strict building height restrictions.
The conversation covers the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ian, a Category 5 storm that hit in 2022, and how the tourism industry has rebounded with over 80 percent of accommodations now reopened destination-wide. Tamara also explores emerging trends like solo travel and how the region's vibrant downtown districts are creating urban experiences that complement the natural coastal attractions.
What You'll Learn
Key Moments
[Beginning] Tamara explains how the Fort Myers region offers a "natural experience" with migratory birds, dolphins, and manatees beyond traditional beach tourism
[Middle] Discussion of Hurricane Ian recovery efforts, with over 50 percent of island accommodations now reopened and destination-wide recovery at over 80 percent
[Middle] Tamara shares advice for other DMOs facing natural disasters: build deep relationships with emergency management, mayors, and community leaders before crisis hits
[End] Exploration of solo travel trends and how Fort Myers caters to travelers aged 45-55 seeking peaceful getaways
Resources
Stay Connected
Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all 20 IPW episodes this week.
Follow @AfarMedia on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes IPW content.
Sign up for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.
Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights.
Explore our other podcasts, Travel Tales, where we share first-person narratives of trips that have changed us, and Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.
This IPW 2025 special series was recorded live in Chicago. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media’s podcast network (email [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.
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