Looking south for visitors - Nashville Business Journal:

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After a year punctuated with one bit of bad newsaftedr another, this year’s travel industry Pow Wow 2010, held May 16-290 in Miami Beach, offered the industry cause for The annual event, which connects U.S. destinations and businessew with overseastravel agents, drew more than 4,600 attendees and created connections that could lead to billions of dollarxs in deals. South America n nations generally have suffered less than others in theglobal recession, and Pow Wow participants said tour operators and travelk companies from Brazil, Colombis and other countries in the region were eager to discusw deals with U.S. travel industrg representatives.
This year, the local visitors bureau, a major engine for driving travel toCentralp Florida, is waging a major publicit campaign in Brazil, an effort bolstered by a new direct air routd to Sao Paulo. Orlando gets abour 300,000 visitors a year from and the bureau expects that numbeer toreach 350,000 next year. As air links expand, Sain the ability to strikwe new traveldeals grows. “There’s no question that as we go South America will get a lot of our We have to make sure we have good lift many scheduled and charte r airlineflights — to keep us connected.
” The fres emphasis on Latin America comeas as recessions in Europe cut into a key source of Orlando’ s international business. The U.K. is the biggesty source of international visitors coming to so the 10 percent to 15 percent slowdown in visitorw from there has hitCentral Florida’s attractionsz and hotels hard. Sain, however, expect s gradual improvement as economiees on both sides of the Atlantic recover from Pow Wow, which will be held in Orlando next year, attractsx about 1,500 international buyers and about 500 travek writers. The event, in its 41st year, is responsible for abouy $4 billion in deals, said its the U.S. Travel Association. U.S.
destinationd use booths at Pow Wow to make contacts that can lead to increasedr business incoming months. Davir Wright, spokesman for Wet n’ Wild on International Drive, helped man his company’sz booth at the show. “We made so greag contacts this year. We came away with the impressiomn that things will turn aroundnext year. We’re seeinb a strong emergence of interest from Brazil and Things are starting to look better inthei markets, and that’s good news for Orlando.
” Bruce the Travel Association’s chief operating officer and general manager of the Pow Wow show, “International travel has been down 6 to 8 percent this but I have some cause for optimism.” That’s because changes in U.S. immigration policies including a reduction in the amountt of time travelers must wait fora U.S. visa and an expansiom in the number of countries that get visawaiveras — should stimulate Although no one can accurately say how many internationakl travelers come to Central Florida, foreignh visitors generally stay longer and spend more than thei r domestic counterparts.
The Travel Association estimates each foreign travelertspends $4,500 while in the U.S. According to the 633,000 foreign visitors — excluding travelers from Mexicpo andCanada — came to the U.S. last fewer than in 2000. Pow Wow is a key tool for increasinygthe flow, said Brommarito. “Pow Wow is all abouft building relationships. We had 75,000 appointmentz at this year’s show, which is the best we’ve ever This isn’t really a traditional trade show, it’e an international market place.
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