Tourism types in Fort Lauderdale have 735,000 reasons to be keen on Canada – that’s how many airline seats have to be filled from this country on annual basis to the south Florida destination.
“That’s a lot of seats,” says Tracy Vaughan, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB Sr. VP of Tourism Sales says, noting that Ontario and Quebec are also the source of a massive drive market to the south Florida destination.
“Canada is our biggest international market,” Vaughan told Travel Industry Today during a recent visit to Toronto. And despite the challenge of having to help get so many bums into Air Canada, Sunwing, Transat and WestJet seats to FLL, Vaughan says, “We’re happy, we love Canadians.”
But the Florida tourism industry veteran is quick to point out that the CVB and tourism partners are not content to take Canada for granted, noting, “We want to make sure Canadians keep coming; we know that you have lots of sun destinations to choose from.”
And Fort Lauderdale would also love for cruise passengers departing the Port Everglades seaport to tack on a few extra days in the city pre- or post-cruise.
To that end, Vaughan, GFLCBV international sales manager Gabriel Martinez, and several area partners including Rocio Waldie, Bonaventure Resort & Spa; Lidia Gorzelany, City of Pompano Beach; Madelyn Caban, DoubleTree by Hilton/Hyde Hollywood Beach; William Pujol, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort; and Tim Schwartzman, Sawgrass Recreation Park, visited Toronto in late November, reprising last year’s event in Hamilton, Ont., to gab about Greater Fort Lauderdale and, as Martinez put it, “Hang out with some of our closest friends in Canada.”
“We want to be front and centre with you and your clients,” Vaughan told attending travel agents and tour operator partners. But she also confided to TIT that her long-term goal is to have a representative again in this country, a position that hasn’t existed for over a decade. “We need to get back (to Canada)… to have somebody here to talk about us,” she said.
And so many things to talk about, Martinez enthuses. Authentic and diverse, laid back and, naturally, boasting a substantial water culture, Fort Lauderdale (and adjacent communities like Hollywood, Pompano, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Hallandale Beach) boasts eight blue wave beaches spanning 37 km, thriving food and arts and culture scenes, shopping (Sawgrass Mills), as well as active options like golf, fishing, boating and diving, the latter notably featuring Shipwreck Park off the coast of Pompano Beach with 17 dive sites.
And while there is plenty of nightlife, Fort Lauderdale has also shed its image in recent years of being a bawdy Spring Break hub for college and university students.
Martinez points out that the city is relatively compact with most sites located within a 20-minute drive. And that means, he adds, that cruise passengers can spread out and don’t have to stay right beside the port.
Moreover, located between Miami and Palm Beach, and about three hours from Orlando (also now accessible via Brightline train), Martinez says the city “plays well with others,” and makes for a great combo destination in the Sunshine State.
Special guest “Gator Tim” Schwartzman of the Sawgrass Recreation Park pointed out that Broward County, in which Fort Lauderdale resides, is two-thirds wetlands, making for ideal (and close) nature-based outings and activities such as hiking, kayaking and canoeing.
PRIDE OF AMERICAS
Fort Lauderdale is gearing up for a major event next Spring. “Pride of the Americas” is an inaugural LGBT event set for its debut in the city, April 21-26. Bringing two continents and 35 countries together to draw attention to shared LGBT issues, and “welcoming everyone under the sun,” the event will feature six days of events, including beach festival, fireworks display, parade, arts fest, A-list entertainment, sunset concerts, top DJs, drag brunches, fashion show, and much more. “We are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands of LGBT visitors and allies to our destination, where diversity shines brightly,” says Richard Gray, Sr. VP of Diversity & Inclusion at the GFLCVB.
Colin Skerritt, Brand USA, Canada; Gabriel Martinez, GFLCVB; Ozlem Toplu, US Consulate, Toronto; Tracy Vaughan, GFLCVB; Tim Schwartzman, Sawgrass Recreation Park.