10 March 2010

South Florida chasing after China tourist market

Sunny South Florida is turning to China to court what they see as the next big thing in tourism.

"Both Broward and Palm Beach counties are working with state tourism agency Visit Florida to lure Chinese tourists, providing materials for travel trade shows in China and welcoming delegations of Chinese travel agents and press to help spread the word about what South Florida offers," said the AP.

The aggressive Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau have been showing groups the allure of the area.

Accompanying the group: Vicky Miao, a Chinese marketer who works for Visit Florida in Shanghai. She touts the state to the estimated 300 million people in China's middle- and upper-income groups who might consider an overseas trip.

"We're really enjoying the sunshine here. It's cold in Shanghai and Beijing now," Miao said.

This year, the number of Chinese visiting the United States is forecast to jump 15 percent to 556,000, rising faster than any other major source nation though still comprising less than one percent of total foreign arrivals to the country, according to the US Department of Commerce.

By 2020, the number of Chinese traveling abroad to all nations is set to double to 100 million a year, making China the No. 4 source of tourists to the world after Germany, Japan and the United States, according to the World Tourism Organization.

Just how many Chinese now visit Florida is not known, but the number may be approaching 10 percent of those traveling to the states - which could mean maybe 50,000 this year, said Bruce Bommarito, executive vice president of the US Travel Association and a China travel specialist.

Florida focuses international marketing on Europe and Latin America, regions that long have been staples for Florida tourism.

But the state itself is also increasing China efforts.

By David Wilkening