See Manatees in Naples Florida

January 26, 2022

Manatees roam the waters of southeast Florida from April through October—but when things get a bit chilly, they head to places like freshwater Florida springs, where the temperatures remain constant throughout the year.

It may not seem warm when you jump into a freshwater spring, but the water temperatures remain around 70 degrees, which is perfect for manatees in Florida who need that kind of warmth to survive.

Seeing a large number of Florida manatees in one place is an amazing experience, but just remember these gentle sea cows are there for survival. Whether you’re on a solo kayaking trip or a manatee swim tour, always mind your “Manatee Manners”— look, but don’t touch.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has produced several videos on interacting with manatees, whether it’s by swimming/snorkeling, boating or kayaking. There’s even information that’s specifically for photographers and videographers.

Remember to respect these precious creatures and the environment in which they live. Naples provides one of the best places to see manatees in their environment. We offer manatee eco-tours and an experienced staff who will take you to see the manatees, while offering important information regarding manatees and their habitat.

Florida Tourism Hits Record High

December 22, 2021

Just recently, Governor Rick Scott announced that Florida set another tourism record by welcoming the highest number of visitors of any nine months in the state's history with 88.2 million visitors. This represents a 3.3 percent increase over the 85.4 million visitors from the same period in 2016. This includes 77.6 million domestic visitors, 7.9 million overseas visitors and 2.7 million Canadians visitors. Governor Scott made the announcement at Azucar Ice Cream Company, a locally-owned ice cream boutique that has been nationally recognized as one of Little Havana's top tourist destinations.

Governor Scott said, "Today, I am proud to announce that Florida has continued our record breaking success by welcoming more than 88 million visitors to our state over the first nine months of the year. Florida has had three record quarters in 2017, which would not be possible without our relentless work to market Florida as the top tourism destination. This includes VISIT FLORIDA's aggressive marketing efforts to make sure families across the world knew that Florida was open for tourism following Hurricane Irma. We will work with the Legislature to invest $100 million for VISIT FLORIDA this upcoming session to continue this success and make sure Florida can continue to break tourism records."

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that a record 27.9 million visitors traveled to Florida in the third quarter of 2017 (July-September), an increase of 3.3 percent over the same period last year. This Q3 number breaks down to 24.9 million domestic visitors, 2.6 million overseas visitors and 428,000 Canadian visitors coming to the Sunshine State. Total enplanements at Florida's 18 major airports in Q3 2017 increased 2.4 percent over the same period the previous year, with 20 million passengers. The number of hotel rooms sold in Florida during quarter three of 2017 grew by 4.7 percent compared to quarter three 2016. During the same period, Florida's average daily room rate (ADR) increased by 3.0 percent and occupancy by 2.9 percent.

During a recent press conference, it was also shared that back-to-back-to-back record quarters in the first nine months of this year show the Florida tourism industry has great momentum. VISIT FLORIDA has vowed to continue to be at the forefront of creating leading-edge, original marketing programs for our industry partners in order to make Florida the number one vacation destination in the world.

To view additional Florida visitor data, go the Research page on VISIT FLORIDA's media website.

Benefits of Ecotourism

November 17, 2021

Ecotourism encourages tourism in stunning natural areas, can create jobs and income without destroying or harming natural or cultural assets that the visitors have arrived to explore and, like no other industry, ecotourism gives natural unspoiled areas an economic value. These efforts all go hand in hand with actively creating benefits for nature conservation and focusing on reducing environmental impacts.

Ecotourism experiences also tend to be cutting edge with regard to creativity within the tourism industry, and can be readily marketed to an ever increasing number of people who wish to ensure that their vacations create positive benefits, both for the environment and local communities, while providing them with education and fun.

Naples on the west coast of Florida ranks high amongst the best places to visit in the sunshine state and manatee eco tours are high on the list things that should not be missed as far as Florida tourist attractions. Manatee tours offered by Manatee Eco-Tours include a boat tour with a close-up view of Florida wildlife. Whether you are a wildlife photography enthusiast or simply a tourist looking for a wonderful adventure tour, Manatee Eco-Tours will exceed your expectations.

Known for its pristine white sand beaches, Naples is paradise for natural wildlife and home to some of the most diverse and unique ecosystems in the nation. Aside from alligators, a wide variety of birds and large fish, and other kinds of aquatic life that are common to Naples, manatees are a Florida treasure.

Also known as sea cows, these gentle giants are typically found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems along the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish, or salt water. Manatees prefer waters that are approximately three to seven feet in depth, however, along the coast, manatees tend to travel in waters that are about 10 – 16 feet in depth. The warm waters around Naples provide manatees with safe living and breeding areas, the warm water they prefer, and a steady and easy to access food supply.