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CHARLOTTE COUNTY — Brand USA, a public-private entity that promotes and markets the United States in foreign countries, has teamed up with the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau on a new campaign.
The partnership, which began April 14, includes Punta Gorda, Englewood and Placida, according to a release. The main countries the partnership will target for visitors are Brazil, Germany and Mexico.
“Brand USA offers us unique opportunities to leverage the dollars we have budgeted for reaching international markets,” Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau Director Lorah Steiner says in a statement. “Not only do they make it possible to extend our reach, the quality of the products they offer to their partners is exceptional.”
Commercials are being shot in several Charlotte County locations. One shoot was at Stump Pass Beach State Park in Englewood. Other sites include Babcock Wilderness Adventures in Punta Gorda; Englewood Beach; and the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda. Some of the videos, says Steiner, are in Spanish to appeal to the Latin and South American markets, especially Mexico and Argentina. Visit Florida has designated those two countries as growth markets for the statewide tourism industry.
Brazil and Germany have long been strong international markets for Florida, with Orlando and Miami leading the way. That could be an advantage for Charlotte County, Steiner says.
“Many Brazilians have 'been there, done that' as far as the larger Florida destinations go,” says Steiner in the statement. “We're offering a different side of Florida, with new experiences. The area also offers a more affordable vacation alternative versus many of the more typical Florida attractions/cities.”
Brand USA was established by the Travel Promotion Act to oversee the first global marketing effort to promote the United States as a travel destination. Formed as the Corporation for Travel Promotion in 2010, it began operations in May 2011 and does business as Brand USA. Some of its funding comes from fees assessed on foreign travelers' airfare every two years.
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