Brazilians Making an Economic Mark

“Bem-vindo” – or welcome in Portuguese – is the new greeting for South Florida. The struggling state was hit hard by the property bubble collapse and the sub-prime crisis, so now its real estate, tourism and shopping centers are a bargain for neighbors to the south - Brazilians. Brazil, poised to become the world’s fifth largest economy, has a low unemployment rate, reports Mimi Whitefield for the Miami Herald, and the real is strong against the dollar. As tourists, Brazilians spend about three times what local customers do, one source told Whitefield. As Brazilians visit and shop, airlines readjust schedules, adding more flights between Brazil and Miami. Concluded one international development specialist in Florida: “There’s no market going forward that offers Florida the opportunities that Brazil does.’’ Brazil ranks as Florida’s top trade partner for 2010. Yet Floridians, analyzing international visits over the years, recognize that trends in tourism and disposable income can swiftly change. – YaleGlobal