WINK Investigates Reporter Olivia Jean
•7/3/2026
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Collier County leaders are taking another step toward potentially transforming how the county markets itself to visitors, exploring whether to move the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau from a county department to an independent nonprofit organization.
Supporters say the change would allow the tourism bureau to move faster in a competitive travel market while maintaining county oversight of the public dollars that fund tourism promotion. Collier Commissioners say they want more details before deciding whether to move forward.
The proposal was the focus of a workshop Tuesday, where a steering committee made up of hospitality, tourism, arts and business leaders presented a framework for a nonprofit destination marketing organization.
"We have to find a way to really effectively stay competitive as a market," said Meg Stepanian, executive director of the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District and a member of the steering committee.
According to Stepanian, one of the biggest advantages would be speed.
She said after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, county commissioners approved additional tourism marketing funds to encourage visitors to return to Collier County. However, by the time the county completed its procurement process and advertising campaigns were ready, many travelers had already made vacation plans elsewhere.
Under the proposed model, a nonprofit organization could make decisions more quickly, including hiring marketing firms, launching advertising campaigns and responding to changing tourism conditions.
"The oversight will still be there as far as audits or anything to do with making sure that the monies are spent properly," Stepanian said.
The nonprofit would continue using Tourist Development Tax revenue — commonly known as the bed tax — paid by overnight visitors, not property taxpayers. County commissioners would continue approving how those funds are budgeted through a contract with the organization, while the nonprofit would be responsible for day-to-day tourism marketing operations.
Supporters also say the nonprofit structure would create opportunities to pursue grants, strengthen partnerships and better compete with other Florida tourism destinations that already operate under similar models.
"This whole plan is about creating a more agile, more efficient, industry-focused organization that can be using these dollars to their highest and best use for the entire community," Stepanian said.
Several commissioners said they want more information about how the nonprofit would be governed, who would appoint its board of directors, what county oversight would look like and whether the organization would be subject to Florida's Sunshine Law and public records requirements.
No vote was taken during Tuesday's workshop.
Instead, commissioners directed county staff to continue working with the steering committee and county attorney to develop a more detailed transition plan that addresses the remaining questions before returning to the board for future consideration.
