SEPTEMBER 2022

AND THE WINNER IS...

Visit Lauderdale is thrilled to announce that we received four Flagler Awards at the Governor's Conference on Tourism, including two Henry Awards! 

Award categories and winning campaigns

Print Advertising
Henry: "Welcome" Campaign

Special Event
Henry: Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Niche Marketing
Silver: LGBT+ Campaign

Mixed Media Campaign
Bronze: "Welcome" Campaign

LATEST AVAILABLE STATS

SAVE THE DATES!

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 Global Travel Trade Virtual Quarterly Update

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 Hospitality Networking Mixer The Wreck Bar

OCTOBER 13, 2022 Visit Lauderdale Marketing Plan Luncheon is back!  Join us and your fellow industry comrades, for the launch of our new brand campaign and the presentation of the FY2023 Visit Lauderdale Marketing Plan. An official invitation with registration information will follow at a later date, but mark your calendars now.  Please save the date.

Visit Lauderdale has partnered with the technology company, Bandwango, to launch the Visit Lauderdale Ale Trail Passport, a free, mobile-exclusive digital pass that all locals and visitors can sign up for. The passport, launching in October, makes it easy to discover Greater Fort Lauderdale’s thriving craft brewery scene. As locals and visitors work their way through the Visit Lauderdale Ale Trail, they will be automatically checked in and collect points to redeem limited-edition Visit Lauderdale swag. To sign up to receive your link to the Visit Lauderdale Ale Trail Passport once it’s live, go to visitlauderdale.com/ale-trail. Breweries contacted by Bandwango should complete the submission form to confirm participation.

MEDIA & PR

USA Today
Fort Lauderdale getaway: How to blend fun, sun and culture in this unique city

Romper.com
8 Solid Reasons Why You Should Travel By Train On Your Next Family Vacation

Sun Sentinel
Dine Out Lauderale 2022 has begun: Here are the top 5 deals

En Espanol – Arranca Dine Out Lauderdale 2022. Te compartimos los 5 mejores desuentos

Smithsonian Magazine
Discover Four Reasons Why Greater Fort Lauderdale Is a Feast for the Senses

The Hotel Guide
Dine Out Lauderdale and Spa Days Bring Sensational Savings in Greater Fort Lauderdale

Insider Travel Report
Insider Travel Report | Fort Lauderdale Expands Summer Savings with Dine Out and Spa Days

Stay Close Travel
A Weekend in Fort Lauderdale

The Visit Lauderdale PR team, in partnership with VISIT FLORIDA, is welcoming a journalist and photographer with inflight magazine Azul and a travel writer on assignment with Canadian outlets Winnipeg Free Press and KelownaNow. Also next month, the team is hosting a group of writers from the International Food and Wine Travel Writers Association (coming from their 2022 conference held in St. Petersburg).

AUGUST SOCIAL MEDIA RECAP

Facebook
Organic Reach: 3,472,785 (+103% MoM)
New likes: 292

Instagram
Organic Reach: 867,192 (+28% MoM)
New Followers: 1,750 (3% increase MoM)*

* reached over 60K followers

Twitter

38.7K Impressions
293 Mentions

CONVENTION SALES

MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES (UPCOMING)

Aug. 30-Sept. 1, Liz Kara will attend the Maritz Next & Tradeshow. Tampa
Aug. 31 - Sept. 1, Stacy Ritter, Tony Cordo, Camila Clark and Tracy Vaughan will attend the Governor's Conference. Boca 
Sept. 7, Agnes Zaranski will be hosting 15 meeting planners from the northeast market, at the US Open Quarterfinal's at Arthur Ashe Stadium in NYC. 
Sept. 14,  Agnes Zaranski will host 11 senior meeting planners for Novartis, for a lunch & learn in Livingston, NJ.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Richard Gray was interviewed by Casey Gale for a story on accessibility in travel for PCMA, and by a Transgender influencer about LGBT+ Travel in Greater Fort Lauderdale. 

Visit Lauderdale was a sponsor of the sold-out Reverse Quinceanera, which took place on August 27th at The Venue in Wilton Manors. Stacy Ritter was one of the judges for this fun, fabulous and colorful event. Richard Gray was also in attendance, and added more color to the evening with his rainbow sports coat.

SPORTS DEVELOPMENT & ENTERTAINMENT

Visit Lauderdale and Broward County Parks & Recreation hosted the World Cricket at Central Broward Regional Park. 18,000 fans braved the heat to watch the West Indies battle it out with India. Pictured above from left to right is Dan West with Broward County Parks & Rec, Lisa Lipfield, Dawson Pritchett, and Gonzalo Rubio with VL Sports Development & Entertainment. Check out the sizzle reel. 

GROUPS IN TOWN THIS MONTH

Sept. 1-4, The 2022 Orange Blossom Classic, Hard Rock Stadium
Sept. 9-11, The 2022 International Slow Pitch Softball Championship
Sept. 14-18, The 2022 Amerigol Latam Cup, FLA Live Arena
Sept. 17, Miramar Latin Music Festival, Miramar Amphitheatre
Sept. 29, Jump Dance Competition, Broward County Convention Center
Sept. 29, Broward Table Tennis Fall Tournament, Broward Table Tennis Club

GLOBAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT

Paul hosted the newest Cruise One Dream Vacations travel advisors for a FAM with an adventure through the Everglades and a tour through Flamingo Gardens.

Caitlan partnered with Brightline and Greater Miami & Miami Beaches to have the first Brightline Art Day with local travel advisors. Their FAM took them on the Brightline through Miami’s Superblue Miami art gallery and ended back in Fort Lauderdale to see the NSU Art Museum and finish the afternoon at the Hyatt Centric Las Olas.

Caitlan and Paul attended Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas on August 15, where there were over 5,000 luxury travel advisors and suppliers from over 100 countries. Virtuoso Travel Week was filled with 120 appointments and opportunities to show the luxurious side of Visit Lauderdale.

Caitlan spoke at an educational session at the ASTA Global Conference on August 24, in San Francisco. ASTA played our “We Are“ campaign, and agents were happy to see how Visit Lauderdale welcomes everyone under the sun. The ASTA South Florida Chapter also won the Chapter of the Year Award.

Lieb Management had a B2B travel agent event in Hannover with Cruising Reisen on August 11, where 34 travel agents attended and were able to learn what’s new with Visit Lauderdale. 

Lieb also conducted an online training with the CANUSA service team on August 23 and presented at webinars for Travel Brands and Jus Adventures.

UPCOMING TRAVEL AND PRESS TRIPS:

Sept. 7-9, Paul is attending Transat Academy in Toronto and Quebec City
Sept. 8, Tracy is attending the IPW San Antonio advisory group meeting
Sept. 8, Caitlan is conducting an in-person training with JetBlue Vacations in Salt Lake City
Sept. 13-14, Tracy will be in Montreal for two events with Transat Academy
Sept. 15, Ava is attending the virtual Luxury Travel Xpo with TravPro Mobile
Sept. 15-21, Lieb Destination Training
Sept. 16-18, Caitlan will be at the Delta Vacations University trade show and trainings in Atlanta
Sept. 17, Cruise One Dream Vacation FAM
Sept. 23, Paul is attending an in-person training with JetBlue Vacations in Orlando
Sept. 24-25, The team was invited to AAA Virtual Marketplace: The Biggest Travel Sale of the Year
Sept. 26-29, Tracy and Paul will be in Frankfurt for Brand USA Travel Week

Lauderdale Loyalist is available in Spanish and is also featured on TravPro’s new mobile app The Source, a super app for travel advisors. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to complete your training so you can become a Lauderdale Loyalist!

Remember to follow @LeisureLauderdale to view recent pictures and stories from our FAMs and more!

FROM PORT EVERGLADES

CruiseSchedule Port Everglades has launched. The new app provides a complete listing of ships arriving and departing from Port Everglades 30 days out. Includes all ship activity and the associated terminal/berth assignments for passenger and cargo ships. See ports of call and real time ship locations. Cruise ship listings include the ship's itinerary, photo and specifications.

The schedule is based on the Port Everglades harbormaster ship's schedule as updated every four hours. Cruise ship itineraries are based on information available from the cruise lines at the time of the app's publication and are subject to change.

PARTNER TO PARTNER

The LOOP (Las Olas Oceanside Park) has teamed up with Fort Lauderdale Magazine to find the Best Pie in Greater Fort Lauderdale.  Show off your pumpkin spice and everything nice at the Annual Pie Baking Competition, Sunday, October 23, 2022, during the 2nd Annual Pumpkins & Palm Trees Fall Festival at the LOOP.

Pies will be judged on flavor, crust, filling, and creativity by some of South Florida’s favorite television and media foodies, including: 

• Erik Petersen – Editor, Fort Lauderdale Magazine
• Matt Meltzer – Contributor, Thrillist Miami
• Mariana Rodriguez, Entertainment Reporter, and Host, “Acceso Total,” Telemundo 51
• Kristin Sanchez – Morning News & Traffic Anchor, NBC 6 Miami
• Jesse Scott – Freelance Writer, Travel + Leisure, Thrillist, Condé Nast Traveler, Miami New Times, Broward Palm Beach New Times
• Miriam Tapia – Producer, “Inside South Florida” WSFL TV 39

In addition to gift cards and prizes, the top winners will have their pies and recipes published in Fort Lauderdale Magazine’s December issue. Options are also available to set up a Fall Flavors or Pie Stand for on-site sales. Complete details on the event and the application to participate are viewable at: https://theloopflb.com/events/pumpkinspalmtrees/

CONSUMER UPDATES

August's consumer newsletter highlighted unique things to do in Greater Fort Lauderdale and showcased Dine Out Lauderdale and Spa Days. The piece also included inside tidbits on our eight beaches, explored Labor Day events and featured the last of our summer fishing reports.

Yes, it's August and it's hot, but so is the lineup of events this month. Check out the calendar below and take advantage of all that's going on in your own backyard.

101 NE Third Avenue, Suite 100, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 | 954-765-4466