EASY RIDERS
Florida
Florida is holding its own in a difficult market and offers agents the chance to ride high on visitor attraction commissions, says Paul Oswell
S
ince the early 1970s Florida has almost continuously enjoyed a strong position as a favoured
destination for UK tourists. Its beaches and the roadside attractions
that grew up around them meant there was a ready infrastructure as tourism developed, and one that was augmented by the arrival of the huge – and hugely popular – theme parks that mostly but not exclusively operate out of Orlando. Despite volcanoes and airline strikes, not
to mention the pitiful economic situation, Visit Florida claims that tourism figures held up well in 2010, and it is making optimistic noises about this year. The Sunshine State reported some 82.6 million worldwide visitors in 2010, reversing a previous two-year decline. Obviously, Universal and Disney’s theme park offerings – together with a host of other big players that seems to grow year on year – have helped
Orlando become the biggest draw card in the state when it comes to tourism. The parks are run like a well-oiled machine, processing families with slick technology and a boggling range of all- inclusive deals. On the state's southern tip, Miami has
long been a big draw. It is one of the most cultural cities in the southern USA as well as being home to one of Florida's most popular beach destinations, South Beach. Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and The Keys
are all also perennially strong favourites, again offering an alluring mix of attractive beaches and a host of different accommodation and activities. There are plenty of up-and-coming destinations, too, perhaps more suited to tourists planning a second or third visit and comfortable with driving in the state (and thus perfect for inclusion on a fly- drive holiday). Naples is a quirky, cultured little town
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF VISIT FLORIDA
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