Southwest Florida's long-time hotelier Tony Lapi named to the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame

Longtime-hotelier Tony Lapi has another notch in his belt.

Lapi, who purchased the 'Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island with a few partners in 1976, then grew and improved it over many decades, has been inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame.

Visit Florida, the state's marketing arm, announced the award on Thursday. It was handed out a night earlier, during the organization's annual chairman's dinner in Orlando.

The prestigious award recognizes "contemporary and historic figures whose vision, creativity and drive have had a positive and significant impact on the development of Florida as a desirable visitor destination."

For nearly five decades, Lapi, 76, has been a force in the local tourism industry, following his relocation to Sanibel Island from Rochester, New York, in his 20s, with his wife, Angie.

While he knew very little about the hospitality industry when he moved to Southwest Florida, he rose up to the challenge, making his mark in more ways than one.

He's still making his mark.

More: Hurricane Ian: Another Southwest Florida lodging landmark not returning. What we know.

And: Hurricane Ian: Another Southwest Florida lodging landmark not returning. What we know.

A 'tireless commitment' to promoting Florida

While he stepped down as CEO of what has evolved into the Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts last year, he still serves as its board chairman.

"With his unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and tireless commitment to promoting the beauty and culture of Florida, Tony Lapi has not only transformed the tourism industry but has also inspired countless individuals to explore and appreciate the beauty of our state. His legacy as a true industry pioneer will forever shine as a beacon of inspiration for generations to come," said Dana Young, Visit Florida's president and CEO, in a statement.

More than just an inn, 'Tween Waters has become a top-notch coastal draw. It survived Hurricane Ian's wrath last year and it's fully operational, with more improvements in the works, including a refacing and a new garage, topped with tennis courts.

When Lapi and his partners purchased the inn, it had 47 cottages, along with a small marina and a modest restaurant. At the time, Captiva remained a well-kept secret among tourist destinations in Florida, which he helped change, through hard work and grit.

Today, the resort has 137 cottages, suites, studios and guestrooms. Only a few of them are down, temporarily, due to planned renovations, not Ian.

In 2011, Lapi was instrumental in having the inn placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its first cottages were built in 1931.

Under Lapi's watchful eye, resort operations grew from six employees to 230, with the purchase of three other properties on Sanibel and Captiva.

A vow to rebuild in Southwest Florida

After Hurricane Ian devastated the barrier islands of Southwest Florida, destroying three of the four properties last year, Lapi vowed to rebuild, while continuing to give back to the hospitality industry – and larger community.

The other properties were the West Wind Island Resort, the Beachview Cottages and the Castaways Cottages. Combined, the four properties offered more than 300 rooms.

Over the years, Lapi has received many accolades for his service to the community and the hospitality industry in Southwest Florida. Here are a few of them:

• In 1997, he was recognized as the Sanibel Citizen of the Year by the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce.

• In 2005, he received the Sam Bailey Award for Outstanding Community Service

• In 2009, he earned the Sanibel Community House "Gordon Schopfer Lifetime Achievement Award"

• In 2011, he was named a Junior Achievement Hall of Fame Laureate

• In 2012, he received the Junonia Award by the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau

• In 2013, he was named the "Paulette Burton Citizen of the Year" by Lee County

“Tony is one of the most highly respected leaders in the tourism industry and I am thrilled that he has received this recognition for his contributions to our state and community,” said Brian Hamman, chairman of the Lee County Commission and Tourist Development Council. “Throughout his career, Tony has made countless contributions to our continued success of being a destination of choice."

His past involvement includes serving as the president of the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce and the Sanibel Community Center, as chairman of Visit Florida, and as a Sanibel Planning Commissioner.

His current involvement includes the Lee County Horizon Council, the Lee County Tourist Development Council, The United Way of Lee County, The Captiva Community Panel, the Captiva Island Historical Society, and the Sanibel Captiva Foundation of the Islands.

He also sits on the advisory board for Florida Gulf Coast University's School of Hospitality.

"His outstanding contributions and lifelong dedication to Florida tourism have not only enriched our industry but have also left an indelible mark on Southwest Florida. As we welcome him into this prestigious group, we celebrate his remarkable journey and enduring legacy," said Jennifer Rominiecki, the chairwoman of Visit Florida's board of directors, in a statement.

A 'very special' award

After receiving the award, Lapi described it in two words as "very special."

"Anytime you get elected, or inducted into a Hall of Fame by your peers it feels good to say the least," he said in a phone interview.

He added: "It's the pinnacle of awards for me. This has been my whole life's work, in tourism and hospitality."

While he no longer runs the day-to-day operations for Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts, Lapi said he'll continue to be instrumental in its future plans and keeping its culture alive.

Currently, the company has about 137 employees, who mostly work for 'Tween Waters, with a few assigned to a sister vacation rental business on Sanibel and Captiva, which will take a while to come back, with so many homes damaged by Ian, Lapi said.

Never one to sit on the sidelines, he'll continue to be involved in and give back to the community with an open heart.

While he admitted he's been a workaholic for decades, he said he's attempting to "tone it down a bit," cutting back to "about 40 hours a week."

"Not to be derogatory, but I have more energy than some of these 30-year-olds," he said. "But that's another story."

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: 'Tween Waters resort's Tony Lapi named to Florida's Tourism Hall of Fame