TORONTO — Spring break central, snowbird haven, playground for the rich and famous. These are the many iterations of Fort Lauderdale, a city known for reinventing itself over the past 50 years. And now, it’s heading into 2020 with a new plan to market itself as a cultural hotspot.

Speaking to Travelweek at a travel trade reception in Toronto last night, Tracy Vaughan, Senior VP Tourism & Travel Industry Sales of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, said: “I think most people would be surprised by our cultural side and by how much you can do culturally in Greater Fort Lauderdale. We’re not just about the beach, we’re working hard to develop product and educate travel advisors on what we have to offer.”

The Bureau, added Vaughan, is currently revamping its Travel Agent Academy with new chapters and imagery, set to be completed by year’s end. Noting that travel advisors “are a big part of our marketing plan”, Vaughan could not stress enough how important front-line agents are to the destination.

“Greater Fort Lauderdale has been working with agents for a very long time,” she said, adding that the Bureau is a member of Virtuoso. “We always want to touch base with agents because they’re the ones touching base with travellers. I like to say that travel agents are the original influencers.”

When pushing the destination’s vast array of cultural offerings, Vaughan says the Bureau must rely on agents to get the word out. Attractions like the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, which overlooks the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and the four-block Flagler Arts & Technology Village (FATVillage), where warehouses have been converted into open art galleries and artisan workshops, should be top of mind when selling the destination in 2020 and beyond.

Moreover, areas like Pompano Beach and the downtown core have been revitalized with new restaurants and attractions, while major events like this weekend’s Riptide Music Festival are helping to attract a new wave of visitors each year.

This, of course, is great news for the destination, which is seeing big visitor numbers from Canada in particular, its #1 international market. There are currently 725,000 air seats to Fort Lauderdale from Canada, which include new service from Winnipeg and Vancouver with Air Transat and Sunwing, respectively, says Vaughan. Across all air arrivals, 83% of passengers who land are staying versus connecting elsewhere. Meanwhile, cruising continues to be big business, with 3.7 million cruise passengers arriving last year.

“The future looks great for us as we’re looking at new ways to present ourselves,” said Vaughan, adding that the Bureau plans on having a greater presence in western Canada next year. “We want to be very active here in Canada, we’re looking at new avenues and hoping for new partnerships. We love Canadians and want them to come and appreciate Greater Fort Lauderdale for what it is.”