Sunshine Matters

In 2015, the number of Chinese outbound travelers increased by 15%, reaching an all-time high of 133 million.  As this number increases, VISIT FLORIDA continues to focus its PR efforts to reach Chinese consumers with a passion for travel. Of the nearly 300,000 Chinese travelers who visited Florida in 2015, 93% named shopping as their No. 1 activity.  Based on this research, VISIT FLORIDA recently hosted a group of Chinese fashion key opinion leaders, also known as influencers, on a South Florida familiarization tour.

Together with our Partners at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, we were able to showcase the state’s fashion, arts and cultural offerings that appeal to Chinese travelers.

From a stroll along iconic South Beach to a tour of the lively Wynwood Walls, the group fell in love with the diverse landscape of Miami.  Each day consisted of photo shoots, filming and exploring Miami’s fashion scene, including small boutiques such as The Webster and the larger shopping destinations of Lincoln Road and the Miami Design District.

Another highlight of Miami was experiencing the art, culture and food.  The group enjoyed time at the De La Cruz Contemporary Art Museum, a tour of the Art Deco District and a culinary sampling in Wynwood.  During a tour of Little Havana, the group watched cigars being rolled, met local artists, tasted Cuban cuisine and filmed a live Cuban coffee demo at the world famous Versailles Restaurant.

The group then ventured to Fort Lauderdale where they explored the fashion boutiques, art galleries and cafes along “Style Mile” on Las Olas Boulevard and sailed through the intracoastal waterways lined with multi-million dollar yachts and opulent homes via water taxi.  Fort Lauderdale brought out the group’s artistic side as they created their own piece of blown glass art at Hollywood Hot Glass and doodled on the wall of an art studio in F.A.T. Village.

A trip to Fort Lauderdale wouldn’t be complete without a day spent at Sawgrass Mills, the world’s largest outlet mall.  The group filmed in many of the more than 300 designer outlets and even enjoyed a little retail therapy.  The group said farewell to Florida at Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant in Hollywood where they live streamed to their fans in China, sampling the fresh local seafood and sharing their favorite activities of the week.

These experiences will be showcased on three episodes of the online TV show Fashion Next Stop, which receives more than one million views per episode.  Eight pages of coverage will appear in the winter issue of the luxury magazine Richesse, and three blog posts will appear on the Around the World in High Heels WeChat account.  In addition, the group posted more than 200 images and videos of their Florida experience on Instagram and the Chinese social media platforms WeChat and Weibo.

VISIT FLORIDA would like to thank our Partners at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau for introducing the media to the many fashion, arts and cultural experiences that Florida has to offer.  For more information about VISIT FLORIDA familiarization tours, please contact me at mdougherty@VISITFLORIDA.org.