IT’S BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND. >> YOU ARE TAKING A LIVE LOOK FROM MARGARITAVILLE ON FORT MYERS BEACH, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPOTS FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT THIS TIME OF YEAR. BUSINESSES ACROSS FORT MYERS BEACH AND OTHER POPULAR AREAS ARE PREPARING FOR THE PACKED HOUSES AGAIN AS SEASONAL RESIDENTS BEGIN MAKING THEIR WAY BACK TO FLORIDA FOR THE WINTER, RIGHT? A CANTINA A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ON FORT MYERS BEACH. >> WE UNLOCK THE DOORS HERE THIS PAST SUNDAY. WE HAD 282 PEOPLE WAITING TO WALK INSIDE THE POOR. THE MOMENT WE OPENED. SO IT WAS REALLY A BUSY DAY, ALMOST EVERY SEAT IN THE HOUSE BILL. >> AND THEIR BUSINESSES ARE REOPENING 3 YEARS AFTER HURRICANE IAN, LIKE THE WHALE ON THE 14TH AND THE BEACH BAR IS HOSTING A GRAND OPENING BASH THIS FRIDAY. AT THE SAME TIME, NEW DATA SHOWS THE GAP BETWEEN SEASON AND THE REST OF THE YEAR IS CLOSING ONLY AT 6 GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER KENNEDY MASON SHOWS US WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR AREA. >> ASKED A LOCAL HOTEL IT IT IS DEFINITELY I IT’S SEASONAL. TOYS, OR A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER ABOUT SEASON SEASON IS 100% STILL. AND YOU’LL GET SIMILAR RESPONSES. AND YOU KNOW, YOU SEE IT IN TRAFFIC. YOU SEE IT AND TRY TO GET A TABLE AT A RESTAURANT. I MEAN, YOU YOU FEEL AT THEIR MAGDALENA. TANG ROTH OWNS DOLPHIN KEY RESORT IN CAPE CORAL. SHE’S SEEN THE TREND SHIFT. IT DIDN’T LAST YEAR. I WOULDN’T SAY IT TRICKLED OFF. VERY SLOW. CONTINUED FOR QUITE A WHILE. >> THE >> BUT NORMALLY WE SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE. JIM BRITAIN, WHO MANAGES GULFSHORE COOLING SAYS THAT SHARP WINTER TO SUMMER SHIFT ISN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE. MAYBE WE’VE TREND THE PEAK AND CITI FIELD THE VALLEY YEARS AGO. SUMMERS WERE SO SLOW. THEY JUST SHUT DOWN FOR THE SEASON IN THE OLD DAYS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST EMPTY IN THE SUMMERTIME. NOT ANYMORE. TO BACK THAT UP. TAKE A LOOK AT VISITATION NUMBERS IN LEE COUNTY. OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER 2023, WAS ACTUALLY THE BUSIEST QUARTER WITH 867,000 VISITORS, JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 828,000 AND EVEN APRIL THROUGH JUNE, HELD STRONG WITH 808,000 VISITORS. SO WHAT’S BEHIND THIS SHIFT? SO TAX ADVANTAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY’LL JUST THEY’LL MOVE TO FLORIDA. JIM POINTS TO FLORIDA OPEN FOR BUSINESS APPROACH DURING THE PANDEMIC ATTRACTING PEOPLE WHO LATER BECAME PERMANENT OR PART-TIME RESIDENTS. MAGDALENA SEES IT, TOO. SHE SAYS RESIDENTS ARE DRIVING THAT CHANGE MORE THAN TAURUS LEE COUNTY VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU DEPUTY DIRECTOR SAYS THERE ARE MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS LIKE GREAT AIR SERVICE FAMILY. SUMMER TRAVEL AND EVENTS LIKE THE ISLAND, HOPPER SONGWRITER FESTIVAL. THE DIRECTOR SAYS LEE COUNTY IS NO LONGER JUST A THREE-MONTH DESTINATION. AND THAT TREND IS HERE TO STAY. A GOOD PLACE TO BEEN I

The divide between busy winters and quiet summers in Southwest Florida is fading as visitors and residents change the way of life along the Gulf Coast. “It is definitely a seasonal tourist place,” said Magdalena Tengroth, owner of Dolphin Key Resort in Cape Coral.Jim Britton, general manager of Gulf Shore Cooling, echoed this, saying, “Season is 100% still here.”Tengroth has observed a shift in trends. “It didn’t last year. I wouldn’t say it trickled off very slow, continued for quite a while but normally we see a big difference,” Tengroth said.Britton added that the sharp winter-to-summer shift isn’t what it used to be. “Maybe we’ve trimmed the peak and filled the valley,” he said. He said years ago, summers were so slow that businesses would shut down for the season. “It used to be in the old days; it was just empty in the summertime,” he said.Visitation numbers in Lee County support this change. Estimated Visitation by Season October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024 Jan–Mar (Peak): 828,300 visitors (25.9% of total visitors) Apr–Jun: 808,900 visitors (25.3%) Jul–Sep: 695,100 visitors (21.7%) Oct–Dec: 867,200 visitors (27.1%) Britton attributed the shift to tax advantages and Florida’s “open for business” approach during the pandemic, which attracted people who later became permanent or part-time residents. Tengroth also sees residents driving the change more than tourists. Pamela Johnson, deputy director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, noted several contributing factors:“Lee County still enjoys a strong winter season, but the story has changed, we’re no longer just a three-month destination. An ‘always-on’ marketing approach, combined with great air service, family summer travel, and events like Island Hopper Songwriter Fest have helped spread visitation across the calendar. That’s great news for our businesses and residents.” “It’s a good place to be,” Britton said.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

The divide between busy winters and quiet summers in Southwest Florida is fading as visitors and residents change the way of life along the Gulf Coast.

“It is definitely a seasonal tourist place,” said Magdalena Tengroth, owner of Dolphin Key Resort in Cape Coral.

Jim Britton, general manager of Gulf Shore Cooling, echoed this, saying, “Season is 100% still here.”

Tengroth has observed a shift in trends.

“It didn’t last year. I wouldn’t say it trickled off very slow, continued for quite a while but normally we see a big difference,” Tengroth said.

Britton added that the sharp winter-to-summer shift isn’t what it used to be.

“Maybe we’ve trimmed the peak and filled the valley,” he said.

He said years ago, summers were so slow that businesses would shut down for the season.

“It used to be in the old days; it was just empty in the summertime,” he said.

Visitation numbers in Lee County support this change.

Estimated Visitation by Season October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024

Jan–Mar (Peak): 828,300 visitors (25.9% of total visitors) Apr–Jun: 808,900 visitors (25.3%) Jul–Sep: 695,100 visitors (21.7%) Oct–Dec: 867,200 visitors (27.1%)

Britton attributed the shift to tax advantages and Florida’s “open for business” approach during the pandemic, which attracted people who later became permanent or part-time residents. Tengroth also sees residents driving the change more than tourists.

Pamela Johnson, deputy director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, noted several contributing factors:

“Lee County still enjoys a strong winter season, but the story has changed, we’re no longer just a three-month destination. An ‘always-on’ marketing approach, combined with great air service, family summer travel, and events like Island Hopper Songwriter Fest have helped spread visitation across the calendar. That’s great news for our businesses and residents.”

“It’s a good place to be,” Britton said.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.