PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 2, 2020) – Offering activities as kayaking, fishing, hiking, and bicycling, Charlotte County’s best side is outside. Pick up the 2020 Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Outsider Guide to learn where and how to enjoy these and other indoor and outdoor activities. The new 98-page, full-color resource guide is used by the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau to promote the destination’s tourism offerings to attract more visitors and create a positive economic impact on Charlotte County.
The guide reflects the Bureau’s “Outsiders Welcome” marketing campaign. It includes some members of the local tourism industry featured in the campaign, like Paige Bakhaus, owner of Hooked on SUP; Babcock Ranch Eco Tours guide Terry Covert; and Olympian and professional BMX racer Amanda Carr.
Readers will find tips for the perfect beach day, listing of cultural attractions, foodie finds, shopping options, calendar of annual events, lodging directory, and more for planning their visit within Charlotte County. Identification guides of commonly found seashells, fossilized shark teeth, and birds, are included, too.
Aqua Marketing & Communications coordinated with the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau to produce the guide and 60,000 were published. The guide is the primary fulfilment piece for those expressing interest in visiting the area and requested either through the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach VCB website, www.pureflorida.com, or in response to other marketing efforts such as print and online advertising. Guides will also be distributed at the Punta Gorda Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport, local chambers of commerce, attractions, accommodations, Official Florida Welcome Centers, and tourism trade events.
Visitors can obtain a guide by calling (941) 743-1900 or by visiting the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau office at 1700 Tamiami Trail, Suite G-2, Port Charlotte. The office is open Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Annually, the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau conducts marketing, sales, and promotional campaigns to increase awareness of and visitation to Charlotte County. In addition to generating economic contributions, the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau is also focused on developing soft adventure or ecotourism, a low-impact industry enabling the county to preserve the invaluable natural resources that contribute to its ecological health, distinguish the area and draw visitors.
During fiscal year 2018-2019 (Oct. 1 – Sept. 30), tourist development tax collections totaled more than $4.3 million. Over that same time, Charlotte County welcomed more than 650,000 visitors, tourism generated an estimated $427 million in direct expenditures, and made an estimated $619 million economic impact on the community. Tourism supports more than 7,600 local jobs. Learn more about Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach by visiting PureFlorida.com.
ABOUT PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH
Located on Florida’s coveted Southwest Gulf Coast, halfway between Tampa and Naples, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach is a charming collection of coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, the area offers pristine, unspoiled beauty. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach showcases a variety of vibrant experiences. From beaches to boating, hiking to harbor tours, fishing to nature discovery; to sun, shelling and fossilized sharks teeth, the destination celebrates the active traveler and lively local in search of relaxation and unlimited discovery. Most notably known for its 830 miles of pristine unparalleled shoreline, including captivating river passages, a mangrove-edged aquatic preserve and more than a dozen miles of natural Gulf beaches, the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast includes the areas of Boca Grande, Don Pedro Island, El Jobean, Englewood-Cape Haze, Little Gasparilla Island, Manasota Key, Knight Island, Placida, Babcock Ranch, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. To learn more about Punta Gorda / Englewood Beach, visit http://PureFlorida.com, call 1-800-652-6090 or engage with the destination on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @RealPureFlorida. Looking for fast, unique destination facts? Click HERE!