In 2010, 1.2 million Brazilians visited the United States and spent $5.9 billion. Florida is the biggest magnet for Brazilian visitors, and many Brazilian families have purchased vacation homes in the state. But why would citizens of one of the fastest growing economies in the world, already residents of a beautiful nation with many exotic destinations, want to come to America, especially when America is not always welcoming to them? What is it about American culture, especially as expressed in the media through movies, websites, and television that makes America so attractive to people in the Southern Hemisphere? And how does the economic situation in Brazil make such travel possible?
This project will consider economics, popular culture, media, and the tourism industry, with a special focus on Florida and how it promotes itself to Brazil. The student will also research statistics about the travel industry and look at the issue from both sides: what does America send southward, and how it is consumed by middle and upper class Brazilians, who have the wealth and leisure to travel? The student will find what are the most popular America movies and media in Brazil, and how these factors might encourage Brazilians to explore the United States. Americans associate Brazil with the beautiful beaches (filled with attractive people) and lush jungles; but what is it that Brazilians see in us?
