Manatee County Tourist Development Council supports ecotourism, arts, culture community

MANATEE -- Europeans and other international travelers continue to boost tourism numbers in Manatee County. It's not only the area's beaches but evolving initiatives focused on arts, culture, Florida's other environmental assets and conservation that's bringing them here.

"This whole ecotourism issue is tailor-made for that market," said Walter Klages, founder and CEO of Data Research Services, a Tampa-based research firm that collects tourism data for Manatee County. "This is what they're primarily interested in -- pristine, natural environments." Klages gave the Manatee County Tourist Development Council an update Monday morning on year-over-year statistics.

Jennifer Shafer, executive director of the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, plugged ecko, a new ecotourism initiative. Ecko offers a "Manatee River of Time" tour, which offers kayaking, biking, a tour through the historical fishing village of Cortez and stops on Anna Maria Island.

"As a nonprofit collaborative, the council has extensive environmental knowledge to deliver high-quality ecotourism experiences," Shafer said. The council has 28 member organizations from along the Gulf Coast and launched the ecko website six weeks ago.

The Inspired Sarasota Bay and Manatee River of Time tours had scheduled dates for the fall, but not enough people signed up in time, Shafer said, and the tours were canceled. No tours are currently booked. Three other ecko tours are still available for fall bookings and ecko is working to schedule spring tours.

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau, said the type of tourism offered by ecko is a valuable addition to the many tourism activities offered in Manatee County.

"Hoteliers, this is something we need to be able to diversify our product," he said. Shafer approached the bureau for financial support when the website launched, but Falcione said timing with the bureau's fiscal year wasn't quite right.

"We may come back to you all in December and ask to support her through equity," Falcione said. "I think it's time to do that and be beside her as this organization grows."

In addition to supporting ecotourism, fortifying Manatee County's arts and culture community has become a primary goal of the Tourist Development Council. On Monday, the council approved funding recommendations to help complete two arts-and-culture focused projects, the Art Walk Initiative and the Cortez Cultural Center.

Johnette Isham, executive director of Realize Bradenton, discussed plans for the Art Walk Bradenton. Four more pieces of artwork are planned along Main Street and the Riverwalk, with five more to be added in the future. The TDC pledged $100,000 during the next two years to complete the project.

Isham also discussed plans for a responsive website and map to go with the physical walk.

"If you're walking with your phone you'll come to a pin, click on the pin and see the artist talking during the video about early drawings and designs," Isham said. "There will also be history pins." Other pins will mark hotels, restaurants and shops.

The council also approved $10,000 for the Cortez Cultural Center project. A small cottage built in 1946 was moved in 2009 to 117th Street West in Cortez from its original home in Bradenton Beach. The money from the Tourist Development Council will help the project's spearheading group, the Cortez Village Historical Society, finish repairing the cottage's floors and leaky roof.

Kaye Bell, president of the society, said she's seeing the project through to the end to honor her late husband Sam Bell, a native Cortezian. She also wants to assure Cortez's history doesn't disappear.

"When the county took over, their vision for it was to be a maritime museum, so they are doing away with the historical aspect and that's why we have picked it up and are making our own museum," Bell said.

A countywide arts and culture organization is also being developed. In June, the council recommended $50,000 to support the organization. Falcione said a small working group has met at the Bradenton Area Convention Center every other week for the past four months to brainstorm and move toward nonprofit status.

"They're on a path of success," Falcione said. "We have representation from all four corners of the county around that table. What we reiterated as the convention and visitor's bureau is, we are here to stand beside them or serve them. We will not be policy setters or decision makers."

The group should be able to update the council in December or "worst case, in February," Falcione said.

Janelle O'Dea, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095 or follow her on Twitter@jayohday.

This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Manatee County Tourist Development Council supports ecotourism, arts, culture community ."