Jurisdiction is 'America's first resort destination'

Florida’s Palm Beach County says it has understandably gotten the hang of providing visitors with enjoyable vacations down pat.

The Atlantic Ocean-fronting jurisdiction — which represents some 39 communities — notes it has more than a century of hosting vacationers, with prominent industrialist Henry Flagler’s opening The Breakers resort in 1896 being a pivotal moment in tourism both in the region and the United States as well.

“We are America’s first resort destination,” says Erick Garnica, associate vice president, global leisure sales, Discover The Palm Beaches, Palm Beach County’s tourist board. “We’ve been welcoming travellers for the last 125 years.”

Flagler’s influence continues to be seen in Palm Beach County, not only through The Breakers, which Garnica labels an “iconic” hotel, but also thanks to a museum that tells his story.

Palm Beach County has long been hosting the rich and famous, thanks to its being able to offer luxury vacations.

But Garnica quickly states that the county’s some 18,000 hotel rooms offer a range of options for visitors, adding it’s “not just uber luxury. There’s a wide range of choices.”

The destination has made inroads in this country, hosting 358,200 Canadian visitors last year, an 18% increase from the pre-Covid year of 2019.

Canadian visitor spending for 2023 reached $390.3 million, a 21.4% increase from 2019.

Air Canada had October-April service from both Montreal and Toronto to Palm Beach County.

Garnica says visitors will find varied attractions and activities, with bordering ocean meaning the county offers beaches and watersports along 75 kms of coast.

Another activity is golf, with Claudia Bonaiuto, director of luxury leisure sales at the PGA National Resort, noting it hosts the Cognizant Classic — a mainstay on the PGA tour — each February.

The “really cool tournament” sees special suites made available, she reports.

The 4-Diamond PGA National Resort has 5 18-hole golf courses and 1 9-hole course, meaning 99 holes await guests.

Bonaiuto says her resort has undergone a US$100-million transformation, with guests certain to find the property “stunning.”

A company run by tennis great Venus Williams oversaw the redesigning of the resort’s spa.

Bonaiuto notes that her resort — often quickly associated with golf — has 15 tennis courts and 12 more for pickleball players.

“Golfing remains the main attraction,” Bonaiuto continues. “But you have a lot of people who come and don’t even play golf.”

Tourism authorities report that The Palm Beaches has been seeing a total combined investment of more than US$500 million across a dozen hotels over the past few months alone. Within the next two years, an anticipated US$1 billion collective investment for 16 new properties in the pipeline is expected to add nearly 2,200 more rooms.

“The Palm Beaches are experiencing an unprecedented surge in development in the tourism industry, with significant investments injecting new energy and prosperity into our local economy,” said Milton Segarra, CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches. “The strong pipeline of growth is set to transform the hospitality landscape and elevate the region as we further accelerate the destination as a leader in Florida.”

Discover The Palm Beaches has a new resource to help travel professionals learn, sell, engage with, and promote The Palm Beaches. The Palm Beaches Travel Trade Portal is an online learning platform tailored specifically for travel advisors as the “ultimate tool to teach comprehensive insights into “America’s First Resort Destination.”

“Travel advisors are tremendous ambassadors for our destination, and we’re hopeful they will find ‘The Palm Beaches Travel Trade Portal’ a valuable resource to help increase awareness of why we are a great place to visit,” said Segarra.

The Palm Beaches Travel Trade Portal was created as a free online tool to help travel professionals such as travel advisors and tour operators better serve their clients while confidently promoting the destination by learning from modules covering history, geography, lodging, culinary delights, transportation options, events, tourist attractions, and much more.

After completion of all modules, certification will be granted. For the first 100 travel professionals who complete certification, one advisor will be selected at random for a chance to win a two-night, three-day stay for two people, including two round-trip airline tickets to The Palm Beaches. The certification must be completed between now and June 30, 2024, for the prize travel to take place from July through Sept. 30.

Meanwhile, Garnica adds that summer is off-season for Palm Beach County and many hotels have specials to attract guests during summer, including The Breakers Palm Beach. The Breakers Palm Beach choices include Bed & Breakfast, which provides exclusive amenities, such as a full breakfast buffet for all guests, overnight valet parking, high-speed WiFi, and access to the resort’s private beach club, Ocean Fitness center, and more. “Sixth Night Free” and “Fourth Night Free” specials are also on offer. 

PGA National Resort’s Complimentary 3rd Night enables those who stay three nights in a recently refreshed guestroom, suite, or two-bedroom cottage designed by Serena & Lily and to receive the final night free. This offer, which includes complimentary self-parking and access to unparalleled resort amenities, is valid through Sept. 30.