Timing is everything, so it certainly helps that The Weather Network (TWN) lucked into a week when southern Ontario was dumped on with a foot of snow and the Prairies shivered in Arctic-like temperatures to debut its new docu-series, “Wanderlust: Florida.”
Of course, Canadians hardly need winter weather to dream of vacationing in Florida, or elsewhere, thanks to the long pause in travel necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But either case, TWN, in conjunction with Visit Florida and Air Canada has taken a deep dive into the Sunshine State with the first of four 18-minute episodes to premiere tonight (Feb. 18) at 10 p.m. (EST).
Each show, which will air initially on Thursdays and be rebroadcast on subsequent days, will also be posted on a microsite on The Weather Network web site. Checking it out on the latter also allows viewers the chance to win prizes and engage with an interactive map.
Each of the four regions featured includes several inspiring stories, such as swimming with the manatees in Crystal River, coloured with breathtaking cinematography (including drone footage) and interviews with local experts, guides and characters.
All the destinations were chosen to be easily accessible from Air Canada gateways.
Visit Florida CEO Dana Young says the series was also carefully curated to “shine the light on some Florida’s amazing hidden gems that we think of would be of particular interest to Canadians looking for new experiences in a destination that they already know so well.”
Young added, “Canada is a critical market for Florida… our No. 1 international market with, in 2019, more than 3.6 million (visitors). Canadians represent about a quarter of all our international visitors and we miss you very, very much. Winter in Florida is just not the same without our Canadian snowbirds.”
And while Young is quick to offer that “Florida is open… beaches and theme parks and hotels and restaurants are open…” she acknowledges that visitors may not be able to get there.
And to that end, she says, “We are doing everything in our power to make sure that when the borders re-open that we are ready to accept visitors again.”
And that includes initiatives like Wanderlust with a Canadian TV station.
“Our industry is resilient, and people will travel again. That is a certainty,” Young continues. “So, our goal at Visit Florida is to ensure that when they do, Florida is on the top of their list.”
The Wanderlust Florida schedule on TWN is as follows:
EPS 1 (Feb 18) – Space Coast
· Cocoa Beach
· BK Adventure
· Kennedy Space Center
EPS 2 (Feb 25) – Crystal River & area
· Plantation Adventure Centre for Manatees
· Ozello Keys Airboat
· Devil’s Den
EPS 3 (Mar 4) – Fort Myers & Sanibel area
· Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
· The Great Calusa Blueway
· Sanibel Island
EPS 4 (Mar 11) – Everglades/Keys (out of Ft Lauderdale)
· Key Lime Restaurant
· Everglades
· John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Check out the trailer HERE.