Panrotas / Rodrigo Vieira
Florida Tourism is excited about the results and perspectives of one of its major international markets, Brazil. In the first quarter of this year, 225 thousand Brazilians visited Sunshine Statewhich is a 60% rebound over the same period last year.
It is very significant that in 2022 Brazil overtook its North American neighbor Mexico as the largest international emitter in Florida. The country is ranked third after Canada and the United Kingdom. There were 709,000 tourists, an increase of 436% compared to the previous year, which is still subject to stricter restrictions and fewer flights due to the pandemic.
And speaking of flights, Visit Florida CEO Dana Young is excited about the boost in connectivity to Brazil the country has achieved this year. “Forecasts are that we end 2023 with 52% more direct flights compared to 2022. Between May and July, Belo Horizonte and Manaus have direct flights to Fort Lauderdale, as well as Recife-Orlando. No wonder, 51% of flight seats are flights between Brazil and the United States are her destination Florida. Not to mention the flights that have easy and fast connections to other countries in the Americas.
The increase in the volume of flights encourages Visit Florida to strengthen its efforts with Brazilian trade. In April, the agency held roadshows in Manaus, Belém and Recife, as well as other activities in the south and southeast. Dana also says that the SuperFAM held by Visit Florida in October last year yielded higher than expected results in terms of sales of the professionals who participated. Also important are the local marketing actions that Visit Florida has implemented, notes the CEO.
“We have a campaign going on since November 2022 on social networks in partnership with Azul Viagens, Agaxtur and Expedia, as well as a B2B collaboration with Orinter, where we develop exclusive packages for various fields.”
In these campaigns, Visit Florida attempts to show the diversity of the destination. “Brazilians, especially beginners, are restricted to Orlando and Miami, but there are a variety of destinations only a few hours away from these cities with an incredible offer to offer, an incredible offering of gastronomy, shopping, culture, sports, beaches, nightlife and attractions for the family. All that visitors appreciate Brazil “.
Dana believes that the role of the operator and travel agent is precisely to show this offer that Brazilians are often unaware of. Cites Tampa, Palm Beaches, and Ste. Petersburg/Clearwater, Key West, Kissimmee, Everglades, Coral Gables, and other alternatives. Like all receiving tourism in the United States, Florida’s greatest desire at this moment, when it comes to Brazil, is to speed up the visa process.
“We are the first choice for Brazilians who have never been to the United States, and it is precisely these people who have difficulty with the long queues. However, we hope that this issue will be resolved quickly, according to the meeting. With the US State Department. The United States. They emphasized that in Next year, already in the first semester, this problem will be resolved.
