The Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau's (VCB) role is to increase awareness of Charlotte County area domestically and internationally. Marketing strategies are targeted to encourage leisure and business travel, including individuals, families, group tours, meetings and conferences, weddings, reunions, sports competitions, special events and film projects. The Bureau's efforts generate revenue for resorts, hotels, condominiums and home rentals, as well as restaurants, retailers, attractions, recreational activities and supporting service companies.
Marketing & Communications
The Visitor & Convention Bureau's marketing efforts are designed to build top-of-mind awareness of the destination and develop a strong brand identity for the area and create a unified presence in the marketplace through cooperative sales and marketing opportunities among industry partners. Some of the Bureau's strategies include research, a printed and electronic Visitor's Guide, internet advertising, websites, customer relationship management, print advertising, vacation packages, regional partnerships and special promotions.
Sports Marketing & Events
The Bureau's focus on sports marketing utilizes sports as a vehicle to diversify Charlotte County's tourism appeal on a year-round basis. A number of high-quality sporting venues, combined with a picturesque natural destination and warm hospitality, allow the VCB to attract state, regional, national and international sporting events which contribute significantly to increased economic impact.
Meetings & Sales
Professional sales staff promotes the Punta/Gorda/Englewood Beach, the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast as a group travel destination to consumers, travel agents, tour operators and small meeting and conference planners. The Bureau also participates in a series of carefully selected travel, trade, and consumer shows in key markets to meet with travel agents, tour operators, event organizers and meeting planners who sell the destination.
Public Relations
The VCB public relations effort is designed to facilitate media awareness by building and strengthening relationships with travel editors, writers and other journalistic resources. The resulting articles and editorial coverage by travel media featuring Charlotte's tourism opportunities provide exposure which the Bureau's advertising budget cannot otherwise support. The value of this publicity is further enhanced by professional travel writers' validations of Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach as a premier vacation destination.
Film Development
The Film Office promotes Charlotte County as a filming location by responding to leads and developing relationships with location scouts in the production industry. Film projects generate significant expenditures and destination awareness. The Bureau works to attract projects within the industry that include films, television, commercials, documentaries, catalog shoots, music videos and digital media/interactive entertainment.
