Travel Kind: How Fort Myers’ Wildlife & Beaches Inspire a New Wave of Sustainable Vacations

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Travel Kind: How Fort Myers’ Wildlife & Beaches Inspire a New Wave of Sustainable Vacations

The beauty of this destination is shining brighter than ever. With beaches open and wildlife thriving, every stay helps support the community’s continued growth.

With its pristine barrier islands, world-renowned shelling beaches, and vibrant coastal ecosystems, Fort Myers is redefining what it means to travel responsibly. Through a new partnership with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back™ program, visitors can now make a positive impact—helping protect wildlife, preserve beaches, and support local communities with every booking. In a first for the Sunshine State, Visit Fort Myers has become Florida’s first destination to join Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back™ program, a global movement transforming ordinary vacations into opportunities for kindness, connection, and community impact.

 

 

Why This Matters: Feel-Good Travel with Real Impact

Travelers are seeking more than sunshine; they want purpose. According to Booking.com’s 2025 Travel & Sustainability Report, 73% of travelers want the money they spend to go back into the local community, while 84% say sustainability influences their travel decisions.

The partnership between Visit Fort Myers and Kind Traveler reflects this growing shift toward regenerative tourism—travel that helps restore ecosystems, strengthen local resilience, and support community well-being.

 

 

How Every Stay Gives Back in Fort Myers

When travelers book a stay at participating Fort Myers hotels and vacation rentals, a portion of each stay supports local nonprofit organizations working to protect wildlife, beaches, and community well-being. Positive Impact Dashboards and QR codes are shared with guests before, during, and after their stays, showcasing measurable positive impact metrics resulting from each stay and the funds raised for charity beneficiaries, while encouraging guests to get involved with local causes through stewardship-driven activities.

Participating partners include:

  • Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa (Captiva) – supporting the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), which treats more than 6,000 injured, orphaned, and sick wildlife patients annually, helping preserve Florida’s native species from dolphins to pelicans.
  • Sanibel Siesta on the Beach – also supporting CROW, empowering guests to help fund emergency medical care, research, and community education for wildlife protection.
  • Sea Gypsy Vacation Rentals – supporting Keep Lee County Beautiful, an organization dedicated to beach and waterway cleanups, mangrove restoration, and marine debris prevention across the region.

Even the smallest contribution can leave a lasting legacy: just $10 can nourish and care for a recovering wildlife patient for nearly a month with CROW, or clean up 10 miles of local roads with Keep Lee County Beautiful—protecting the wildlife and landscapes that make Fort Myers extraordinary.

 

 

A Model for Coastal Regeneration

As Florida’s first destination marketing organization to join Kind Traveler, Visit Fort Myers is leading a new era of travel that heals the places travelers love most. Since launching in 2023, Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back™ program has raised over $1.6 million for environmental and community causes, including coral reef restoration, youth education, wildlife rescue, and disaster recovery. Each donation’s impact is transparently tracked through Kind Traveler’s Impact Dashboards, making giving visible and measurable.


"Fort Myers and Sanibel are shining examples of nature’s resilience and community unity," said Jessica Blotter, CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler. "Through the Every Stay Gives Back program, travelers can be part of that healing—helping protect wildlife, beaches, and the very spirit of this destination."


 


Plan a Trip That Gives Back

Explore the participating lodging partners, see the positive impact generated so far, and discover how to travel kindly in Fort Myers: