" Real Florida Stories "
    Third in a Series for Florida Secrets

             Florida, "A Sense of Place"

by Ron Drake

I first heard, and it was relatively recently -- the term "sense of place" from noted writer and Florida tourism industry watchdog, Herb Hiller.  Met him 20 years ago when he and his bike needed a "ride" from Captiva Island to Boca Grande on Gasparilla.  The shortest way was to sail him up.  

This was a man who not many years before was a sales and marketing executive with a major cruise line.  Catered to people traveling for escape and entertainment with   24-hour buffets and tropical drinks with umbrella and pineapple garnishes.

In those years I was working travel shows in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and similar.  Attendees who'd been to Florida told me about their experience -- flying to Orlando, taking a shuttle to their International Drive hotel, and all the theme parks they visited.  Return shuttle, flight and home.   They thought they KNEW Florida. 

They'd been TO Florida, but not IN-TO Florida.  Minus Florida's usually accommodating weather, theme parks could have been in Milwaukee.  They'd spent a week here, knew little about our state, and were likely to return only if a new theme park opened.  These are general interest travelers who respond to "what's new" and deals, wherever in the country or world they may be.  In a slow economy with terrorism threats looming, these folks will delay travel until a safer and healthier stretch. 

At the same time there are others who travel to satisfy their special interests.  Destination is secondary.  Cost considerations are minimal and they aren't season-selective.  As their travel often involves special accesses not available to the general public, they'll go now rather than canceling and waiting.  Bird watchers wanting to see whooping cranes are choosing Florida over Texas, Wisconsin and Canada.  Florida's population is the world's second-largest.  Largely non-migratory, there here year-round.  Unlike Texas where 4-wheel drive access is needed, Florida whoopers can be accessed on paved roads by 40' motorcoaches.

Out-of-state visitors get a Florida sense of place when they slurp an icy guanabana shake at Homestead's Robert is Here. In-state residents, many of whom used to be seasonal snowbirds learn and appreciate the hurricane histories of Everglades City. Appealing to all five senses, truly responsible travel programs give visitors a " sense of place"

" Peculiar travel suggestions are like dancing lessons from God" Kurt Vonnegut

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the Real Florida with
Royal Palm Tours.

4/23/03

     
   

Read the first and second
of the series. Click Below:

So Many Fish

Sailing to Key West







Click Here to find out about
the Real Florida with
Royal Palm Tours.

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