Home » TRAVEL EVENT NEWS » Tour de Turtles: A Massive Boost To Coastal Tourism and A New Way Of Raising Global Awareness for Sea Turtle Protection Sunday, August 3, 2025Every summer on Florida’s Atlantic coast, a quiet but powerful event unfolds as two sea turtles begin an epic swim across the ocean. Released from a popular beachfront resort, one green turtle and one loggerhead carry satellite trackers that monitor their movements, kicking off a symbolic migration race called Tour de Turtles.Though the turtles are unaware of any race, their journeys ignite public interest worldwide. This friendly competition, created to raise awareness about sea turtle conservation, has also evolved into a travel attraction, drawing visitors to Vero Beach and inviting them to witness the magic of nature in motion.Advertisement A Nesting Ground That Draws TravelersVero Beach lies along one of the most significant turtle nesting zones in North America. Each year, thousands of sea turtles return to this area’s protected coastline to lay eggs, continuing a cycle that spans generations.This seasonal return has also become a tourism event. Early risers gather along the shore to see these creatures make their way into the ocean. Resorts situated near the nesting grounds often welcome guests eager to witness these moments firsthand.The nesting beach is part of a designated wildlife refuge that supports multiple species of sea turtles, including green, loggerhead, and leatherback. These species are protected under federal conservation laws, and their presence helps define the area’s identity as a destination for nature lovers and families alike.Tour de Turtles: A Race With PurposeThe Tour de Turtles is more than a migration event. It’s an educational campaign wrapped in an interactive experience. Each turtle that joins the program is fitted with a small satellite transmitter before returning to sea. These trackers collect data on location, depth, and water conditions, all of which are shared through an online map where the public can follow the turtles’ routes in real time.The journey lasts for about three months, during which the turtles “compete” to see who travels the farthest. But the real goal is to raise awareness about the many challenges sea turtles face. Each turtle represents a specific threat, such as beach erosion or light pollution—both of which are significant concerns along nesting beaches worldwide.Conservation, Storytelling, an …
