'blue skies and palm trees'

LEE COUNTY, FL – Fort Myers was ranked second for the lowest tax-burdened central cities out of 50 U.S. destinations recently rated in an annual study by the Global Business Travel Association Foundation.

The 2011 survey — which reviewed general sales tax and tax on travel-related services such as car rentals, hotel stays and meals — revealed drastic tourism tax differences between cities, in some cases 80 percent more in comparison, according to Joe Bates, the foundation’s director of research.

“This is yet another reason for meeting planners to consider The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel for their events,” said Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB), which markets The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel on southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast. “Choosing a city with lower taxes helps planners manage the rising cost of business travel, especially meetings and events. The study provides important information for planners to take into consideration in their site selection.”

Gary Young of Universal Vacations commented that the area was still well visited by the international traveller but with the meeting space available the domestic coporate market is also eyeing Fort myers as a venue to host annual events.

The annual study provides several different views of travel taxes to help visitors make informed choices. The top 50 markets are ranked by overall travel tax burden, including general sales tax and discriminatory travel taxes, and by discriminatory travel tax burden, excluding general sales taxes to count only taxes that target car rentals, hotel stays and meals. Separate data is offered for central city and airport locations, as the tax regimes are often distinct.

The foundation’s findings were collected using the ERS Group, a statistical and economic consulting firm that calculated taxes paid by travelers staying at a hotel, renting a car and eating restaurant meals for one day and one night, as well as for a longer stay of three days and two nights, according to the study.

The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel offers a variety of meeting room options via its many hotels and resorts and also vacation rental properties on the beach or close by. A total of 256,129 square feet of meeting space is available throughout the county, with area properties offering from 600 square feet up to 73,000 square feet at one venue. There also are meeting options in myriad off-site venues, including one-of-a-kind museums, parks and other attractions. The area offers a full range of properties from inexpensive motels to idyllic cottages to condominiums and full-service resort properties. Many are located within 30 minutes of Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), featuring 20 carriers making non-stop flights to 43 domestic and four international destinations.

Most travelers rate value as the main reason they’ll select vacation rentals on trips

Primary motivators for vacation rental travel indicate trend is here to stay

05.10.2011– Despite the economic pinch felt by so many travelers in recent years, there’s been huge growth in vacation rental home, condo and villa stays. Experts today turn to the attitudes behind this booming interest for a look into what’s driving vacation rentals’ popularity.

“Travelers’ motivations toward vacation rental hospitality are compelling. More than just reasons, they’re inherent to people’s core values,” explains Alex Risser, President of the Vacation Rental Manages Association and its Discover Vacation Homes awareness campaign, the official public resource on vacation rental travel. “This helps explain the positive outlook we have for our hospitality industry segment now, and for its continued growth.”

Here are the top reasons named by leisure travelers for choosing vacation rentals on trips, according to the Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers(SM):

• Value for the price: More than nine in 10 travelers rate value as the main reason they’ll select vacation rentals on trips. They often provide significant cost savings versus other

Amenities are a top consideration for many travelers, and guests today find extra perks when staying with a professional property manager

lodging options, also offering inherent values that remain unmatched.

• Privacy: Most travelers also enjoy a sense of privacy and comfort, with 89% having named this as a primary motivator. Private homes and condos alike represent a true retreat for most guests.

• Full kitchen facilities: Nearly nine in 10 travelers choose vacation rentals for access to fully equipped kitchens, which offer the freedom to prepare meals, store snacks/leftovers, or visit local markets for fresh, regional ingredients.

• More space overall: Like a true home away from home, vacation rentals often provide from 1,000 to more than 4,000 sq. ft. of space. 86 percent of travelers agree this is a key reason to rent.

• Amenities: This is a top consideration for 85 percent of travelers, as guests today find familiarities like bath toiletries, fresh linens and added amenities like game rooms, private swimming pools, fireplaces, in-home movie theatres with free DVD rentals or more, especially when staying with a professional property manager.

• Extra bedrooms: Fully seven in 10 travelers find multiple bedrooms to be a top vacation rental motivator. Some three-bedroom properties sleep up to eight guests versus just one or two, also offering room to unwind and enjoy varying bedtimes.

• Family “togethering:” 68 percent of travelers say they’ll choose vacation rentals for the experience itself – growing closer by enjoying quality time together underneath one roof. For many, it’s this atmosphere that sets vacation rentals apart.

For more information about vacation rental travel, visit http://www.univacus.com

http://fort-myers.univacus.com/vacation-rental-homes/
1 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,2 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,3 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,4 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,5 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,6 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,7 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,8 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,9 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,10 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,11 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,12 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,13 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,14 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,15 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,16 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,17 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,18 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,19 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,20 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,21 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,22 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,23 Fort Myers Vacation Homes,24 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,25 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,26 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,27 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,28 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,29 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,30 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,31 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,32 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,33 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,34 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,35 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,36 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,37 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,38 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,39 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,40 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,41 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,42 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,43 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,44 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,45 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,46 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,47 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,48 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,49 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,50 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,51 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,52 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,53 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,54 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,55 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,56 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,57 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,58 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,59 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,60 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,61 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,62 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,63 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,64 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,65 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,66 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,67 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,68 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,69 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,70 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,71 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,72 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,73 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,74 Fort Myers Vacaion Rentals,75 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,76 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,77 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,78 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,79 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,80 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,81 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,82 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,83 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,84 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,85 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,86 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,87 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,88 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,89 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,90 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,91 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,92 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,93 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,94 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,95 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,96 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,97 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,98 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,99 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,100 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,101 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,102 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,103 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,104 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,105 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,106 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,107 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,108 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,109 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,110 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,111 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,112 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,113 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,114 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,115 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,116 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,117 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,118 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,119 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,120 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,121 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,122 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,123 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,124 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,125 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,126 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,127 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,128 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,129 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,130 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,131 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,132 Fort Myers Vacation Villas,133 Fort Myers Vacation Villas, 1 rental, 2 rental, 3 rental, 4 rental, 5 rental, 6 rental, 7 rental, 8 rental, 9 rental, 10 rental, 11 rental, 12 rental, 13 rental, 14 rental, 15 rental, 16 rental, 17 rental, 18 rental, 19 rental, 20 rental, 21 rental, 22 rental, 23 rental, 24 rental, 25 rental, 26 rental, 27 rental, 28 rental, 29 rental, 30 rental, 31 rental, 32 rental, 33 rental, 34 rental, 35 rental, 36 rental, 37 rental, 38 rental, 39 rental, 40 rental, 41 rental, 42 rental, 43 rental, 44 rental, 45 rental, 46 rental, 47 rental, 48 rental, 49 rental, 50 rental, 51 rental, 52 rental, 53 rental, 54 rental, 55 rental, 56 rental, 57 rental, 58 rental, 59 rental, 60 rental, 61 rental, 62 rental, 63 rental, 64 rental, 65 rental, 66 rental, 67 rental, 68 rental, 69 rental, 70 rental, 71 rental, 72 rental, 73 rental, 74 rental, 75 rental, 76 rental, 77 rental, 78 rental, 79 rental, 80 rental, 81 rental, 82 rental, 83 rental, 84 rental, 85 rental, 86 rental, 87 rental, 88 rental, 89 rental, 90 rental, 91 rental, 92 rental, 93 rental, 94 rental, 95 rental, 96 rental, 97 rental, 98 rental, 99 rental, 100 rental

May 21 – May 25, 2011

May 21 – May 25, 2011 – San Francisco, California
What Is International Pow Wow?
U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow is the travel industry’s premier international marketplace and the largest generator of Visit USA travel – it is NOT a typical trade show. In just three days of intensive pre-scheduled business appointments, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from every region of the USA (representing all industry category components), and close to 1,500 International and Domestic Buyers from more than 70 countries, conduct business negotiations that result in the generation of over $3.5 billion in future Visit USA travel. At International Pow Wow, buyers and sellers are able to conduct business that would otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips. Universal Vacations are now the market leader for vacation accommodations along Florida’s Gulf Coast, whether the guest requires a Bradenton Vacation Home, a Bradenton Beach Condo Rental or a Bradenton Holiday Villa, Universal Vacations have the inventory to supply the demand. Fort Myers Vacation Homes have always been popular way of spending a vacation or holiday, many Europeans prefer to stay in a Fort Myers Vacation Home or Fort Myers Beach Condo rental as opposed to a resort or hotel.  Over the last few years Fort Myers Vacation Homes and Fort Myers Beach Condos have become more used by the Americans and Canadians, they tend to like the flexibility that a Fort Myers Vacation Home or Fort Myers Beach Rental Accommodation offers.  This also applies to the following.  Universal Vacations have the inventory to supply the demand. Bradenton Vacation Homes have always been popular way of spending a vacation or holiday, many Europeans prefer to stay in a Bradenton Vacation Home or Bradenton Beach Condo rental as opposed to a resort or hotel.  Over the last few years Bradenton Vacation Homes and Bradenton Beach Condos have become more used by the Americans and Canadians, they tend to like the flexibility that a Bradenton Vacation Home or Bradenton Beach Rental Accommodation offers.  Contact Universal Vacations of Fort Myers, Universal Vacations Fort Myers Beach and Universal Vacations Bradenton for more details on our Vacations Accommodations.