Visit Lauderdale travelled to the UK earlier this month to meet with members of the UK trade ahead of the launch of Norse Atlantic Airways’ flights to Fort Lauderdale.

Tracy Vaughan, senior vice president of global trade development, and Paul Mason, senior manager of global trade development for the destination marketing organisation, met UK agents and operators on what was Visit Lauderdale’s first trade visit to the UK since 2019.

They also hosted a dinner at The Ivy Brasserie in London with guests from Trailfinders, Ocean Beds, Purely America, America as you like it, Travel Republic and American Sky.

During the event, Mason updated the trade on news from the destination and shared details of the brand’s trade training initiative, Lauderdale Loyalist, which launched last year. "It was a such a pleasure to get back to the UK and reconnect with our valued trade partners here," said Vaughan.

"Fort Lauderdale was ranked as the 11th busiest destination for international travellers to the US during January-September 2022, and we are enjoying a true renaissance right now with a raft of new hotels newly opened and coming soon, as well as an exciting array of cruise lines.”

Norse’s Fort Lauderdale route will take off on 26 May. Its Orlando route, also departing Gatwick, will take off a day earlier.