The Brazil beat

Despite a dip last year, the Latin America market is heating up, according to Latin American Travel Demand: Trends and Insights, a recent report from the Travel Industry Association of America. "Latin America's outbound travel market has grown 33 percent in the past decade," the report said. "With a 43 percent market share, the U.S. is by far the most-popular long-haul destination for travelers from Latin America. Although Latin American travel to the U.S. declined again in 2003, it is forecast to grow by 3 percent in 2004."

Especially hot, for Miami, anyway, is Brazil, according to Miami Today. The convention and visitors bureau's "Latin American effort this year includes a partnership with Brazil's TAM Airlines to bring a group of 18 travel and destination planners active in corporate meetings and incentive-travel business to Miami." The increased interest in coming to the U.S. is fueled by a growing Brazilian currency that had tourism to the U.S. growing by double digits in the fourth quarter last year.

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