Dana Young is the president and CEO of Visit Florida, a public-private corporation that promotes tourism to that peninsular state in the southern United States.
View of South Miami beach.
Young visits Guayaquil and Quito these days to talk about what Ecuador represents for them, a market in which they want to expand their tourist offer due to the great increase it has had in recent years. In 2021 alone, the figure was 237,000 visitors; and in 2020 it had been calculated that the Ecuadorian spent, on average, 7.3 nights, mainly in Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
What is the reason for the growing interest in promoting Florida in Ecuador?
Ecuador is now our number five incoming international market. So obviously we’re going to focus our attention on Ecuador and make sure we grow that market. But Latin America as a whole has become increasingly important to Florida, even more than it was before. In fact, Colombia, for example, is our number one incoming market now, and Peru is number four (…). This region is important to us and that is why we are building these relationships.
What does Ecuador represent in figures for you, a country with which you have a great air connection?
58% of Ecuadorians who come to the United States do so in Florida. That is very significant. The airlines recognize this by adding flights and more capacity: 18,000 seats are being added to Guayaquil alone between March and May of this year; and Quito, 7,000 in the same period. 67% of the flights leaving your country (to the US) will go to Florida in those months (according to your projections).
When did you see that the Ecuadorian market was growing?
We saw it coming out of the pandemic. We have been seeing more and more Ecuadorian and Latin American travelers in general, and I think it has contributed that Florida has such a diversity of destinations to visit: we have beaches, parks, shopping and much more to offer. I think the pandemic has shown that people realize they want to be outside; they want to be in nature; they want to do recreational things outside the traditional: go to a spring or swim with a manatee (…). Florida has all of that. So, we were open, we never closed and we never will. Our governor has said that we will not do it, whatever happens (…). If a travel agent sells a trip to Florida, he knows that plane is taking off, his client is coming to Florida, and she’s going to have a wonderful vacation.
During the pandemic many destinations were closed, but they are now opening again. What projections do now that consumers will have many options?
Well, we’re seeing huge pent-up demand, not just in Latin America, but all over Europe and Canada. People love Florida all over the world and want to come. They have been saving their money and not traveling, and now they are ready. We don’t make predictions, but my common sense tells me that now that the borders are open and travel is easier, people will come to Florida. I would expect record numbers. The state has hidden treasures, such as nature experiences, which are found in more rural areas, or off the beaten track are in high demand right now. Crystal River is the only place in the world where visitors can swim with manatees in the wild; that is very unique. Obviously, the Florida Everglades are a treasure. Airboat rides, the Florida Keys… And then what everyone knows: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, that area of the Atlantic coast beaches. But in the Gulf of Mexico, on the western side of the state, we also have beautiful beaches, from the Panhandle (in Pensacola) to Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers or Naples. We want these things to be on your horizons.
Being a destination that is largely bilingual (English and Spanish) and with which you have family relationships, is it a factor in the increase in growing demand?
I think one of the reasons why Florida is so popular with Latin American travelers is that no matter which Latin American country they come from, they will feel comfortable. Not just because of the language—Spanish is widely spoken in Florida—but also because of the food, the culture, the weather. To me, Guayaquil looks like South Florida.
In the United States, a budget was approved to improve times to process visas
Regarding the visa delays currently facing the State Department, Young notes that the US Congress has just passed a budget bill that includes increasing the number of people in the offices that process visas to cover delays caused by the pandemic. Therefore, there is a commitment from the US Government to improve times.
In addition, when asked why they prefer Florida to other destinations within the United States, he reaffirms that the relaxation of restrictions, with each individual deciding what is best for their health, is something that, added to the diversity of options to visit , make the state very attractive for vacationing alone, as a couple or as a family. (I)
