Lee County’s Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) has announced a partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program, making it the first destination in Florida to join this initiative. The program aims to link tourism directly with support for local environmental and community organizations.
According to the VCB, the move comes as Fort Myers’ beaches are open, wildlife is thriving, and tourism continues to grow in the area. The initiative aligns with trends identified by Booking.com’s 2025 Travel & Sustainability Report, which notes that travelers are increasingly interested in destinations that reinvest tourism revenue 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.”
Under the program, participating hotels and vacation rentals contribute a portion of each guest stay to local nonprofits through Kind Traveler’s platform. Guests can access Positive Impact Dashboards and use on-site QR codes to see how their contributions are used locally. The system also provides information about volunteer opportunities.
Current participants include Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa and Sanibel Siesta on the Beach, both supporting the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), as well as Sea Gypsy Vacation Rentals, which supports Keep Lee County Beautiful Inc., an organization focused on coastal cleanups and habitat restoration.
The VCB highlights that even small donations can have significant effects; for example, $10 can feed a recovering wildlife patient for nearly a month or help clean up 10 miles of roadways.
Since its launch in 2023, Every Stay Gives Back has generated more than $1.6 million globally for wildlife conservation, education, and recovery efforts. The VCB sees its adoption of this model as part of a broader push toward regenerative tourism across Florida.
More information about participating organizations and nonprofit beneficiaries is available at www.visitfortmyers.com/kind-traveler
