Miami officials promote city during Shanghai visit
Print Edition
MIAMI is home to an array of pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife, luxury resorts and picturesque national parks. While the city, located in the southern US state of Florida, has long been a popular destinations among Americans and Europeans, local officials now hope to share what Miami has to offer with more Chinese visitors.
A delegation from Miami-Dade County visited Shanghai recently to explore collaboration opportunities in travel and tourism, among other areas.
“We are in the process of talking to Chinese carriers about a non-stop flight from somewhere in China to Miami,” Kenneth Pyatt, the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department’s Deputy Directory, told Shanghai Daily during the visit.
Miami International Airport is a key gateway between the US and Latin America, and is one of the most heavily trafficked airports in the country thanks to its proximity to popular tourist attractions.
Recently, the airport has also been expanding its reach into growing markets in Asia and the Middle East.
Qatar Airlines, for instance, is currently operating four flights per week to Miami and hopes to add more soon, the airport operator said.
As a major crossroads for domestic and international air travelers, the city is also a leader in the convention and event industry.
The new Miami Beach Convention Center is scheduled to open in mid-2018 following a US$515 million expansion and renovation project. Upon completion, the improved center will feature 505,000-square-feet of exhibit space, a grand ballroom, three junior ballrooms, breakout meeting spaces, as well as surrounding parks and landscaped areas.
The Miami Worldcenter, a mixed-use development in the core of downtown Miami is also expected to open in 2018. It will feature a mega-retail, residential, dining, entertainment and transportation complex when completed.
Brightline, an express passenger train service connecting Miami and Orlando, is expected to be launched in 2017. The plan is to have 32 train trips rolling through the Treasure Coast between the two cities.
“We understand what it means to be a world city. We speak many languages, we eat many different types of foods and we know the cultures of many people, so they can feel at home when they are in Miami — that’s the key thing about tourism,” said Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 12.
This year marks the 2016 China-US Tourism Year and explosive growth in the US tourism market is predicted by travel agencies in China thanks to the prolonged 10-year visa policy and increased flights.
China was the fourth largest source of foreign visitors to the US in 2014, when 2.18 million Chinese visited the country. The US Department of Commerce projects Chinese arrivals to triple to 7.3 million by 2021, making China the top source of tourists to the country.
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