31 Oct 2013
Virgin Holidays
Virgin Holidays focuses on family holidays in Fort Myers and Sanibel, often with special deals for families such as free kids insurance, free kids activities and savings during school holidays. The operator sells flight, accommodation and car hire packages with accommodation available in resorts, villas and townhouses. Flights are direct from London to Miami with Virgin Atlantic.
Example package: Seven nights on Fort MyersBeach with Virgin Holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic, accommodation at the 4V Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marinaon a room only basis with basic car hire included starts from £868. Price is per person based on two adults and two children travelling and sharing a deluxe gulf view room, including all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Price is based on 9 January 2014 departure.
Bon Voyage
Bon Voyage is an America specialist tour operator providing tailor-made holidays to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. The focus is on high quality holidays aimed at high spending consumers with accommodation in four and five star properties. Bon Voyage specialises in fly-drive holidays, multi destination American holidays and honeymoons.
Example package: A 10-day holiday costs from £1,965 per person including return indirect flights from Heathrow or Manchester to Fort Myers, 10-days fully inclusive convertible car hire and 10-nights in a one- bedroom Beach View Villa at South Seas Island Resort on CaptivaIsland. South Seas is a 330-acre four-star resort at the northern end of CaptivaIsland with two miles of private white sand beach and accommodation ranging from one-bedroom suites to villas.
BA Holidays
Holidays booked via britishairways.com utilise the BA flight network (Miami route in this case), packaging all elements together to offer savings. British Airways' range of accommodation focuses on a selection of beachfront resort style properties which are ideal for families, with plenty of facilities such as spas, golf, watersports and kids services. Customers can book flight, hotel and car hire packages.
Example package: British Airways offers a seven-night package at the four-star Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in BonitaSprings from £984.50 per person, including return flights from London Heathrow to Miami. The hotel is located south of Fort Myers overlooking Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve and features an 18-hole golf course, a spa, a large lagoon style pool with a 140ft water slide, six restaurants and child services.
American Sky
American Sky specialises in travel to North America and has a large Florida portfolio. Accommodation in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel area ranges from the large, luxury South Seas Island Resort on CaptivaIsland to self-catering accommodation in the Fort Myers area.
Example package: A seven-night stay in Fort Myers Gulf Coast Villas costs from £987 per week, based on a three-bedroom villa sleeping up to eight people. Located in a residential area of Fort Myers, the villas have air conditioning, outdoor swimming pools and outdoor dining areas and patios.
America As You Like It
America As You Like It provides tailor-made itineraries across the market from families looking for self-catering options such as Fort Myers Pool Homes or couples looking for luxurious beachside resorts such as Casa Ybel on Sanibel Island.
Example package: A 10-night holiday costs from £3,250 for a family of five or £650 per person, including return flights from London to Tampa on Delta Airlines, 10-nights' accommodation at the Sanibel Arms West in a two- bedroom self catering condo and car hire. The beachfront resort is made up of one and two-bedroom condos and has a large heated outdoor pool.
North America Travel Services
(www.northamericatravelservice.co.uk)
North America Travel Services offers bespoke luxury holidays throughout North America and has the South Seas Island Resort in CaptivaIsland on its Florida portfolio. The operator also organises bespoke weddings at the resort.
Example package: A seven-night holiday at the South Seas Island Resort on CaptivaIsland in a beach villa with return flights from London Heathrow to Tampa costs from £1,405 per person.
Funway Holidays
Funway Holidays is a specialist North America operator, focusing on offering value for money and is aimed at families. For 2013, Funway launched a new 'Florida Beaches' brochure including The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. The packages include flights and accommodation and generally feature resort accommodation.
Example package: A seven-night package for a family of four staying at the Pink Shell Resort & Marina on Fort MyersBeach costs from £4,745.20, which is £1,186.30 per person. This includes return flights from London Heathrow to Fort Myers via Chicago and seven nights' accommodation in a gulf view suite. The resort sits on 1,500 feet of white sand beach with 213 sea view rooms, pools, a marina and a range of kids clubs for different ages.
Hayes & Jarvis
Hayes & Jarvis offers tailor-made holidays ranging from romantic honeymoons to family holidays. Its holidays are aimed at the middle and upper end of the market, with accommodation in three to deluxe five-star hotels. Example package: A seven-night stay in one of the three-bedroom Fort Myers Homes (sleeping six) costs from £5,033 or £839 per person. This includes flights from Gatwick to Orlando and the villas each have a private pool.
Jetsave
Jetsave is a Florida specialist tour operator offering tailor made itineraries and escorted tours with an emphasis on value for money. They have departures from 20 UK airports and have a flexible programme of add on cities and cruises for extending holidays.
Example package: A seven-night stay at the three-bedroom Fort Myers Homes (sleeping six) costs from £4,553 or £758 per person. The price includes return direct flights from London Gatwick to Orlando with Virgin Atlantic and two hire cars.
James Villas
James Villas is a villa tour operator covering destinations all over the world including the FloridaGulfCoast. Customers can book villa only or villa and flight options. The villas are aimed at the luxury end of the market, all with private swimming pools, air conditioned interiors and spacious accommodation.
Example package: A seven night stay at one of the two bedroom Fort Myers Homes (sleeping four) costs from £3,752 or £938 per person. The villa has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a screened pool, terrace and air conditioning.
Kuoni
Kuoni is a quality tour operator offering city and beach holidays. Their target market is celebratory travel i.e. weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays, and people aged over 40 who enjoy the personalised aspect of travel.
Example package: Kuoni offers seven nights on room only basis at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island, including flights with British Airways from Gatwick and fully inclusive car hire with sat nav. Prices for 2014 are from £1,471 per person, based on two sharing.
Expedia.co.uk
Leading OTA, Expedia.co.uk, offers flexible packaging to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Packages are in the affordable price bracket with the option to fly direct or further drive the price down with indirect flights and accommodation in large hotel chains or resorts.
Example package: A seven-night stay at Song of the Sea on Sanibel Island costs from £1,109 per person (based on two people sharing) including return flights from London to SouthwestFloridaInternationalAirport. Song of the Sea is a beachfront property with 30 rooms, which have been newly renovated.
Travel Republic
TravelRepublic provides access to a wide variety of 'best price' travel products. The consumer is able to tailor make holidays from optional components including flights, accommodation and car hire. A choice of 30 hotels in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel region are available online and direct and indirect flights are available from multiple airlines.
Example package: A 14-night stay in a one-bedroom gulf view apartment at the Pointe Estero Hotel costs from £1,467 per person (based on two people sharing). The price includes return indirect flights with United Airlines. The hotel on Fort MyersBeach is a condo resort and all bedrooms have sea views.
ebookers
Online travel agency, ebookers offers options for booking flights, hotels and car hire at a range of prices. Accommodation options are wide reaching from budget hotels to luxury beachfront resorts.
Example package: A seven-night stay at the Outrigger Beach Resort (based on two sharing) costs from £909.15 per person including return flights from London to SouthwestFloridaInternationalAirport and car hire. The resort on Fort MyersBeach overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and has a pool and Tiki Bar.
Direct Line Holidays
(www.directline-holidays.co.uk)
Direct Line Holidays specialises in selling value package holidays, flights and hotels. The company works with a number of operators including Thomas Cook, Thomson and First Choice using their inventory.
Example package: A seven-night stay for a family of four at Fort Myers Town Houses with direct flights from London Heathrow to Miami International costs £6,968. The Town Houses are located in an area south of Fort Myers called SailHarbour which is an exclusive lakefront, gated community with communal swimming pools.
Low Cost Holidays
Low Cost Holidays compiles flight and hotel packages and aims to give the customer the lowest price possible. The Fort Myers region is accessed directly with flights from London to Orlando or flights to Fort Myers via Newark or Chicago and the online travel agent offers about 40 different types of accommodation in the region.
Example package: A ten-night stay at the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa on Sanibel Island costs from £847.5 per person including return indirect flights from London Heathrow to SouthwestFloridaInternationalAirport. The resort has recently been refurbished and has 200 rooms across two floors. Guests have access to its bar, two cafés, an American Bistro restaurant, fitness centre, tennis courts, golf course and watersports.
Your Golf Travel
Your Golf Travel is the largest golf and travel operator in the world and is run by golfers, who are able to offer expert advice. Your Golf Travel offers 11 holidays in Florida, with accommodation and golf only packages.
Example package: A seven-night stay at the Westin Cape Coral Resort with four rounds of golf at Whispering Oak (Verandah Golf Club), Old Orange (Verandah Golf Club), Pelican Preserve (Pelican Preserve) and Old Corkscrew Golf Club costs from £1,115 per person. Package excludes flights. New for 2013, the Westin Cape Coral Resort has 263 rooms and suites with a lagoon-style outdoor pool, clay tennis courts, a spa and a marina offering water sports, boat trips and fishing.
American & Worldwide
The operator provides tailor-made summer and ski holidays to America and Canada, offering price driven packages.
Example package: A seven-night holiday for a family of four costs from £771 per person including return flights from Gatwick to Tampa, accommodation at the Outrigger Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach in a double guest room and car hire.
Thomson Worldwide
Thomson Tailormade's holidays are designed to be flexible and suit the needs of the customer, yet offer value for money. Thomson Tailormade sell holidays staying at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina and Diamondhead Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach; Sanibel Moorings on Sanibel Island and 'Tween Waters Inn Island Resort on Captiva Island.
Example package: A seven-night stay at Fort Myers Gulf Coast Villas costs from £1,112.27 per person (based on two people sharing). This includes return flights from London Gatwick to Orlando and seven nights accommodation.
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For more further information or images please contact Jules Ugo or Amelia Astley Birtwistle at Lotus UK on 0207 593 7470 or firstname@lotus-uk.co.uk
In the United States please contact Nancy Hamilton at The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel on 001(239) 338 3500 or NHamilton@leegov.com
EDITOR'S NOTES: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida includes: Sanibel Island, CaptivaIsland, Fort MyersBeach, Fort Myers, BonitaSprings, Estero, Cape Coral, PineIsland, Boca Grande & Outer islands, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres.
