PUNTA GORDA/ENGLEWOOD BEACH, Fla. – The Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau’s video, Episode 1 of Adventure & Wildlife Hosted by the Shark Brothers, was recognized by the Florida Outdoor Writers Association with a third-place Excellence in Craft Award in the Corporate/Tourism Promotion category during the organization’s Awards Banquet in Ocala, Fla., on Aug. 26.
Episode 1 features recreational fishing, the importance of mangrove forests to Charlotte Harbor’s ecology, and a wading trip in Charlotte Harbor with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. Capt. Ralph Allen with King Fisher Fleet, Capt. Betty Staugler of Florida Sea Grant, and Chris Salmonsen, a naturalist with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, are featured in the 16-minute episode.
This video is the first in a multi-part series and debuted in October 2016. Sean and Brooks Paxton II, also known as the Shark Brothers, host and produce the series, and lead viewers throughout Charlotte County while promoting preservation, protection and enjoyment of the area’s natural resources. Additional and future episodes of Adventure and Wildlife Hosted by the Shark Brothers can be viewed at AdventureAndWildlife.com.
The Florida Outdoor Writers Association is a not-for-profit statewide paid professional communicators organization made up of the outdoor industry’s top communicators, conservationists and industry related companies with a mission to heighten the education of the outdoors.Each year, the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau conducts marketing, sales and promotional campaigns to increase awareness of and visitation to Charlotte County. In addition to generating economic contributions, the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau is also focused on developing ecotourism and soft adventure travel. These popular low-impact industries enable the county to preserve the invaluable natural resources that contribute to its ecological and economic health, while distinguishing the area and drawing visitors. During calendar year 2015, Charlotte County welcomed an estimated 395,800 visitors and tourism generated an estimated $345,067,400 in direct expenditures and made an estimated $526 million economic impact in Charlotte County.
Dropbox link to images of The Shark Brothers and production shots during a wading trip with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center and with Capt. Betty Staugler with Florida Sea Grant:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nnktfqnpq597vz9/AAA4MgPWGqmbnxuK2T2m6oqYa?dl=0
ABOUT PUNTA GORDA / ENGLEWOOD BEACH
Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast, Punta Gorda /Englewood Beach is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, the area offers a pristine unspoiled beauty. In 2014, Port Charlotte was named the top “U.S. Best Value Destination” by Trivago (the world’s largest online hotel search site), and the Charlotte Sports Park, spring training home of the Tampa Bay Rays, was voted “Best Spring Training Facility” by readers of USA TODAY. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Punta Gorda / Englewood Beach has been named one of SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” Englewood was named second of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com. The area is served by five airports: The Punta Gorda Airport (PDG) with private and charter air service, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Southwest Florida International Airport, Ft. Myers, (RSW), St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and Tampa International Airport (TPA). For more information on visiting Punta Gorda / Englewood Beach visit http://PureFlorida.com or call1-800-652-6090.