Count South Florida among US areas looking to lure more foreign visitors.
Broward County particularly has been marketing the area to international tourists, says Nicki E. Grossman, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.
International travelers made up 20% of the 10.35 million tourists visiting Broward County in 2006.
“International tourists’ pockets are very heavy with cash, and we’re sticking out like a very rich thumb right now, compared with the rest of the US,” Ms Grossman said.
Neighboring Miami-Dade County still hasn’t quite rebounded to pre-Sept. 11 terrorist figures. In 2006, 5.32 million international travelers visited Miami, compared with 5.68 million in 2000.
The number of overseas visitors to the US is down 11% since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, even though worldwide travel is booming and the declining dollar makes America a cheap destination.
The travel industry hopes it can win back international tourists with help from the federal government: a $200 million campaign that sends a message that the US wants foreigners to visit.
Report by David Wilkening
