Looking south for visitors - Orlando Business Journal:

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After a year punctuated with one bit of bad newsafter another, this year’s travel industry Pow Wow held May 16-20 in Miami Beach, offered the industry caus for hope. The annual which connects U.S. destinations and businessesa with overseas travel drew morethan 4,600 attendeex and created connections that coulx lead to billions of dollars in deals. Soutbh American nations generally have suffererd less than others in theglobal recession, and Pow Wow participantas said tour operators and travel companies from Colombia and other countries in the regionm were eager to discuss dealsz with U.S. travel industry representatives.
This year, the localp visitors bureau, a major engines for driving travel toCentral Florida, is wagint a major publicity campaign in Brazil, an effortf bolstered by a new direct air routs to Sao Paulo. Orlando gets about 300,0000 visitors a year from and the bureau expects that numbere toreach 350,000 next As air links expand, Sain said, the ability to strikre new travel deals grows. “There’s no questio n that as we go forward, Soutu America will get a lot ofour attention.
We have to make sure we have good lift many scheduled and charter airlineflightd — to keep us The fresh emphasis on Latin Americz comes as recessions in Europe cut into a key source of Orlando’s international business. The U.K. is the biggest sourcw of international visitors comingto Orlando, so the 10 percenty to 15 percent slowdown in visitors from there has hit Centrapl Florida’s attractions and hotels hard. however, expects gradual improvement as economies on both sidess of the Atlantic recover from Pow Wow, which will be held in Orlando next year, attractx about 1,500 international buyers and aboutr 500 travel writers.
The in its 41st year, is responsible for abou $4 billion in deals, said its sponsor, the U.S. Traveo Association. U.S. destinations use boothsx at Pow Wow to make contactse that can lead to increased businesd incoming months. David Wright, spokesman for Wet Wild on International Drive, helpee man his company’s booth at the show. “We made so greaft contacts this year. We came away with the impression that thingzs will turn aroundnext year. We’rw seeing a strong emergence of interest from Brazil and Things are starting to look bettef intheir markets, and that’ds good news for Orlando.
” Bruce Bommarito, the Travel Association’sz chief operating officer and general manage of the Pow Wow show, agreed: “International travel has been down 6 to 8 percenty this year, but I have some cause for That’s because changes in U.S. immigration policies including a reduction in the amouny of time travelers must wait fora U.S. visa and an expansionh in the number of countries that get visa waivers shouldstimulate growth. Although no one can accuratelh say how many international travelers come toCentra Florida, foreign visitors generally stay longer and spenc more than their domesticc counterparts.
The Travel Associationh estimates each foreign travelerspends $4,500 while in the U.S. Accordinvg to the association, 633,00p foreign visitors — excluding travelers from Mexicp andCanada — came to the U.S. last year, fewerf than in 2000. Pow Wow is a key tool for increasinygthe flow, said Brommarito. “Pow Wow is all about buildinf relationships. We had 75,000 appointments at this year’ s show, which is the best we’ve ever This isn’t really a traditional trade show, it’s an international market