Sunshine Matters

Brazil is one of Florida’s key global markets, ranked among the top three countries for international visitation with nearly 1.5 million visitors in 2015 who spent more than $1.7 billion while in the Sunshine State.  To ensure we remain top of mind with Brazilian travelers, VISIT FLORIDA’s International Marketing & Events Team recently participated in World Travel Market Latin America.

Now in its fourth year, WTM Latin America 2016 was held at the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo, Brazil.  The three-day show, which welcomed more than 9,000 travel professionals from 60 countries, offered the perfect opportunity for travel organizations to meet Latin American buyers, travel trade and media.

VISIT FLORIDA and our Partners were highly visible this year in the Brand USA Pavilion with a large delegation of Florida Industry attending.  In addition to coordinating the Florida Stand, we also hosted a well-attended reception for travel trade and trade media on the exhibit floor.

In conjunction with WTM Latin America, VISIT FLORIDA’s Public Relations team and seven of our Partners hosted an offsite event for 34 of the top travel writers from Brazilian publications, including Vogue, GQ, Viagem e Turismo and many others. The function, which had a Florida music and movie theme, enabled our Partners to have face-to-face time and establish relationships with journalists from this important tourism market.  As shown in the picture, attendees enjoyed posing with cutouts of celebrities that have been part of well-known movies made in the Sunshine State.

We would like to thank all our Florida Industry Partners who participated on the stand with VISIT FLORIDA, including the Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, Discover the Palm Beaches, the Florida Keys & Key West, Hampton Inn by Hilton – Hallandale Beach~Aventura, Hertz, the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB, Visit Sarasota County, Westgate Resorts, the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB and their partners: Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach, Rodeway Inn & Suites Airport Cruise Port, Pelican Grand Beach Resort, Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach and Sawgrass Mills, as well as the Greater Miami CVB and their partners: The Biltmore and Aventura Mall. Special thanks as well to Visit Orlando and Experience Kissimmee who joined us for the offsite event with the Brazilian journalists.

VISIT FLORIDA is looking forward to another successful WTM Latin America in 2017 and invite our Industry Partners to join us on the stand.  To learn more about participating next year or for additional information on all our international programs, please contact me at cjones@VISITFLORIDA.org.