With Martha Chapman
21JAN08
Brooke Maynard of Tampa Bay and
Henny Groenendijk (Visit FLA's
beloved Canadian PR rep)
Josie Gulliksen, representing the
Florida Keys, and Erin Duggan of
Sarasota, love talking about the
Sunshine State
Lee Rose and Katie Meckley tell us
they love Canadians down in
Fort Myers and Sanibel Island
Warming Up To Florida
It took a delegation from Florida to convince the sun to come out in T.O. recently - not a bad achievement after weeks of gloom.
The occasion was a spiffy luncheon at the downtown Park Hyatt hosted by several members of the massive Visit Florida partnership. And guess what? They like us, they really like us!
Yes Canucks are all the rage in the Sunshine State, and no wonder: what with our muscle-bound loonie, love of beaches, golf, and shopping, we are huge fans of the state. And this winter there are more reasons than ever to visit Florida.
Universal Studios is opening a “Simpsons” attraction. On March 1, SeaWorld will debut Aquatica, a waterpark featuring a massive man-made beach, high-energy rides and loads of animal encounters. The famous Keys now have a green certification program for hotels.
And speaking of green, Florida is getting greener by the minute – or as Josie Gulliksen of the Keys puts it: “Green is red hot.” Hop in a kayak or canoe at Bonita Springs and paddle your way 190 miles along the Great Calusa Blueway. 84 per cent of Charlotte Harbour shoreline is protected from development. Shellseekers are enchanted by the 400 species of shells to be found on the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel Island.
And our menfolk (and womenfolk) can even get in a dose of NHL. Brooke Maynard of Tampa Bay says that Canucks visiting her area love nothing better than a round of golf followed by a rousing NHL game!
Yikes. No wonder our love affair with Florida just gets better and better.
© Open Jaw