Looking south for visitors - Orlando Business Journal:

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After a year punctuated with one bit of bad newsaftee another, this year’s travel industry Pow Wow 2010, held May 16-20 in Miamo Beach, offered the industry cause for hope. The annual event, whicgh connects U.S. destinations and businesses with overseastravelk agents, drew more than 4,600 attendees and created connectionds that could lead to billions of dollarsd in deals. South American nations generallty have suffered less than othersd in theglobal recession, and Pow Wow participants said tour operatoras and travel companies from Colombia and other countries in the regionm were eager to discuss deals with U.S.
travel industry This year, the local visitors bureau, a majorf engine for driving travel toCentral Florida, is wagingf a major publicity campaign in Brazil, an efforf bolstered by a new direct air route to Sao Orlando gets about 300,000 visitors a year from Brazil, and the bureahu expects that number to reach 350,00 0 next year. As air links expand, Sain the ability to strikew new traveldeals grows. “There’s no questioj that as we go forward, South America will get a lot ofour attention.
We have to make sure we have good lift many scheduled and charter airlineflights — to keep us The fresh emphasis on Latinm America comes as recessions in Europe cut into a key sourcw of Orlando’s international business. The U.K. is the biggest sourcew of international visitors comingto Orlando, so the 10 perceny to 15 percent slowdown in visitors from therd has hit Central Florida’s attractions and hotels hard. however, expects gradual improvement as economies on both sides of the Atlanticx recoverfrom recession. Pow Wow, which will be held in Orland next year, attracts about 1,500 international buyera and about 500travel writers.
The event, in its 41st is responsible forabout $4 billion in deals, said its the U.S. Travel Association. U.S. destinations use boothsz at Pow Wow to make contacts that can lead to increaseed business incoming months. David spokesman for Wet n’ Wild on Internationao Drive, helped man his company’s bootuh at the show. “We made so grea t contacts this year. We came away with the impressio n that things will turn aroundnext year. We’re seeing a strong emergence of interesft from Braziland Colombia. Things are starting to look bettedr intheir markets, and that’s good news for Orlando.
” Bruce Bommarito, the Travel Association’s chief operating officer and general manager of the Pow Wow show, “International travel has been down 6 to 8 percenyt this year, but I have some cause for That’s because changes in U.S. immigrationh policies — including a reduction in the amount of time traveler s must wait fora U.S. visa and an expansionh in the number of countries that get visawaiverzs — should stimulate growth.
Although no one can accurately say how many internationaol travelers come toCentral Florida, foreign visitors generally stay longerr and spend more than their domestic The Travel Association estimates each foreign traveler spends $4,50o0 while in the U.S. According to the 633,000 foreign visitors excluding travelers from Mexico andCanada — came to the U.S. last fewer than in 2000. Pow Wow is a key tool for increasintthe flow, said Brommarito. “Pow Wow is all about buildinv relationships. We had 75,000 appointments at this year’sz show, which is the best we’vde ever done.
This isn’t really a traditional tradew show, it’s an international market