Collier weighs tourism bureau privatization plan during workshop

Collier County commissioners this week continued exploring whether to privatize the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, a move that would transition the destination marketing organization from a county department to a standalone nonprofit. 

During a June 30 workshop, the Board of County Commissioners heard a presentation from seven members of a steering committee representing the hospitality, tourism, arts and business sectors. The committee has been developing a proposed transition plan since the county's Tourist Development Council approved the concept in December 2025. 

Presenters included Randy Smith, CEO of Naples Transportation and Tours and steering committee vice chair; Kristina Park, president and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber; Hyla Crane, executive director of Marco Island Center for the Arts and Arts Center Theatre; Sharon Lockwood, area general manager of JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort; Dianna Dohm, executive director of the Marco Island Area Chamber; Meg Stepanian, executive director of the Fifth Avenue South Business Improvement District; and Aashish Patel, principal and managing member of GHA Hospitality. 

The transition plan stemmed from a feasibility study commissioned by County Manager Amy Patterson in February 2025. The study recommended the transition to gain operational flexibility in a changing tourism marketplace; improve “speed to market” with advertising and promotion, especially after disruptors such as hurricanes; increase destination competitiveness; and expand partnership opportunities and industry engagement. 

Under the proposal, the nonprofit destination marketing organization, or DMO, would contract with the county to administer tourism marketing funded through the Tourist Development Tax, which is generated from overnight lodging stays. The nonprofit also could pursue grants and other funding sources. 

The average annual amount of funding from TDT revenue for the current CVB over the last five years has been approximately $16.6 million, said John Mullins, the county’s division director of communications and government and public affairs. He said this includes funding for advertising, operations, personnel and travel expenses for the group sales team.   

When the initial plan was presented to commissioners in January, they asked for additional information on areas including accountability, oversight, fraud prevention and transparency. Commissioners asked for comparisons with other destinations using a nonprofit DMO model, including research into those that had issues with fraud or abuse of public funds. 

The steering committee addressed those topics during its presentation, outlining a governance and operations framework for a proposed 501(c)(6) nonprofit. 

Emphasis on governance and financial oversight 

A key difference in the governance structure would be establishing a board of directors for the proposed nonprofit DMO, which the steering committee said would be comprised of nine members with representatives from hotels, attractions, the arts, restaurants, tourism businesses and at-large business leaders. 

Questions about who would appoint the board and to whom it would report will be addressed during the next phase of the process, Mullins said. 

The Tourist Development Council would remain in place, with no overlapping membership between it and the DMO board. The steering committee also recommended quarterly written reports to county commissioners. Currently, the CVB presents monthly reports to the TDC and quarterly reports in person to county commissioners. 

Asked whether those quarterly presentations would continue, Mullins said further discussions would determine how often the new organization would appear before commissioners. 

County oversight of the nonprofit's finances also would continue, Mullins said. 

“Given the proposed DMO would be contracted to administer the marketing and promotional portion of TDT revenues, the TDC and Board of County Commissioners will continue to approve the budgeting and expenditure of taxpayer funds,” Mullins said in a statement after the workshop. 

Questions also remain about transparency. Asked whether the nonprofit board's meetings would be open to the public, Mullins said Sunshine Law applicability would be addressed during the next phase. He likewise said public records law applicability would be evaluated in the next phase. 

The steering committee's full presentation also outlined a hybrid staffing model, ethics policies, independent CPA audits, limits on business hospitality expenses, tiered procurement thresholds, an expanded marketing strategy and an operating reserve equal to at least three months of operating expenses. 

Commissioners seek additional details 

While commissioners’ reactions to the presentation were generally favorable, it generated more questions and calls for additional details, with an emphasis on accountability and transparency. 

Present at the workshop were Commissioners William McDaniel Jr., District 5; Dan Kowal, District 4; Burt Saunders, District 3; and Chris Hall, District 2. District 1 Commissioner Rick LoCastro was out of the country but asked that a statement be read into the record expressing his support for continuing to explore the proposal. 

Commissioners requested more information about the proposed governance structure, county oversight responsibilities, procurement processes, enforcement of conflict-of-interest policies, public records requirements, staffing, financial transparency and safeguards against fraud. 

Kowal, in his role as chair, said no official vote would be taken in the workshop setting, but with what he described as “four head nods” from the commissioners present the privatization proposal would move forward to the next phase. 

Mullins said part of next steps would be to “color in” the outline presented with answers to detailed questions and to perform the due diligence necessary “to arrive at a proposed transitional plan and draft agreement for board (of county commissioners) review and consideration.” 

Asked when the proposal could return to the Tourist Development Council and county commissioners, Mullins said the current phase will require consultation with other divisions that support the CVB, other county officials and the county attorney. 

“These proposals will be brought back to the TDC and Board once the county manager determines that the proposals are ready,” he said.