Sunshine Matters

Our International Team has been busy in our emerging markets within the past few months.  Emerging markets are countries that represent a small percentage of Florida’s current international visitors, but have the potential to be much stronger feeder markets in the future.  At present, these markets represent 9 percent of Florida’s international visitors.  Florida’s emerging markets include: Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

India

VISIT FLORIDA and five of our Industry Partners recently conducted sales calls and hosted our annual VIP event for 125 travel agents, tour operators and media in Bangalore, India.  As part of the event, VISIT FLORIDA launched a Specialist Program for travel agents and tour operators to educate the trade in India.  Programs such as this help extend the reach and relevance of the Florida brand beyond traditional advertising efforts by providing opportunities to better inform travel trade and media on all the latest vacation planning options in the Sunshine State.

Following the VIP event and sales calls, VISIT FLORIDA and our Partners participated in Brand USA’s third annual Travel Mission, reaching more than 600 Indian travel trade professionals in Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The travel mission’s success comes as the U.S. is experiencing a steady increase in Indian travelers – 859,000 visitors in 2013 – an 18.6 percent increase over the previous year.  Last year, 47,000 Indians visited Florida, which was a 7 percent increase over 2012.

China

China is another VISIT FLORIDA emerging market with continued growth over the years.  China was No. 12 in top visitation to Florida in 2013 with 266,000 visitors – a 32 percent increase from 2012 – and No. 11 in spending with $253.5 million in sales – a 42 percent increase from the previous year.

VISIT FLORIDA recently teamed up with United Airlines and our Florida Industry Partners to organize a familiarization (FAM) tour to Fort Lauderdale, Miami and St. Petersburg for 10 tour operators from North China. In previous years we have hosted FAM trips specifically to the top Florida destinations for China, but we are now expanding their product knowledge in order to help expand itineraries beyond those core destinations.

ITB Asia

VISIT FLORIDA also recently attended ITB Asia in Suntec, Singapore for the third year.  Our international sales team coordinated a Florida Pavilion under the Brand USA umbrella that included Industry Partners from Universal Orlando and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with their Partners.

A record attendance of nearly 10,000 visitors from 108 countries attended this three-day business-to-business appointment-based trade show.  International exhibitors representing all sectors of the travel industry came together to meet with top international buyers from meetings, incentive, leisure and corporate travel markets.  ITB Asia has quickly become the leading event of its kind for the Asia travel market.

VISIT FLORIDA extends a special thank you to all our Industry Partners who have participated in this year’s emerging markets events thus far.  To learn more about our many international travel trade outreach opportunities, please check out the VISIT FLORIDA Marketing Planner or contact me at cjones@VISITFLORIDA.org.