Florida's Gulf Coast has been working hard on the UK and Irish market. Fort Myers — the city plus the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva — has trained 418 travel agents across the two countries so far in 2026, through a steady run of roadshows, webinars and industry events.

The year kicked off with a roadshow in Liverpool on 19 May, where 49 agents sat through round-table training sessions in a single evening. July was busier still: the destination showed up at the Visit USA Summer Soirée in London, then headed to Newcastle for Hablo Unplugged, an interactive night with 70 agents. Over in Dublin, the Visit USA Summer Soirée pulled in more than 200 travel professionals and tourism partners.

Fort Myers also worked the British Airways Florida Travel Market in Newcastle, briefing 50 members of BA's Florida and Rest of World sales teams, and ran two online training sessions for US Airtours in August covering another 49 sales staff. That last partnership matters — US Airtours says 2026 is shaping up as one of its strongest years for Florida bookings, with beach stays and multi-centre itineraries driving demand. Fort Myers fits neatly into both: a standalone Gulf Coast break, or a coastal leg bolted onto Orlando, Miami or the Keys.

More events are lined up for autumn, including Florida Huddle in October and Cassidy's Big Sale Day back in Dublin.

So what's the appeal for holidaymakers? Fort Myers offers something different from Florida's better-trodden stops. Sanibel and Captiva are famous for shell-strewn beaches and a slower, nature-first pace — think biking trails, birdlife and kayak trips rather than rollercoasters. The city side adds dining, an arts scene and a wide spread of accommodation, from resorts to smaller inns. Charmine Evans, the destination's global sales manager, frames it as a Gulf Coast experience combining beaches, nature, outdoor activities, dining and culture — with the flexibility to work alone or as part of a bigger Florida trip.

The practical takeaway: if you book through an agent, the odds that they know Fort Myers well have just gone up considerably. More trained agents usually means better-matched itineraries and honest advice about where the destination fits — and where it doesn't. For anyone weighing a quieter Florida base with easy access to the rest of the state, it's increasingly the name agents are being armed to suggest.

Story via Breaking Travel News.