International Business
A pro-business attitude, solid infrastructure and educated regional workforce has made Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County a leader in global, national and local communities. The County is playing an evermore prominent role in the growing global economy, which does not recognize political or cultural barriers. This makes it the perfect environment for both national- and international-based companies. Whether a firm needs to instantaneously transmit vast amounts of data to the other side of the globe, hop on a flight to almost anywhere in the world, or quickly find employees who can speak the client's language fluently, Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County offers this and much more.
Driving Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County's globalization is the phenomenal growth in the foreign-born population during the past decade. Data from the 2000 Census show dramatic changes in the county's demography: one-quarter of residents are now foreign-born; more than two-thirds of immigrants are from Latin America; and more than 225,000 foreign citizens live here. The origin of immigrant residents has changed over time. In the 1970 and 1980 censuses, the majority of foreign-born residents came from Europe, whereas in 1990 and 2000, most came from Latin America, which has become the primary source of immigrants for the county.
Every year, new and emerging companies are moving here to increase their sales to Latin America and the Caribbean. In fact, Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County's close proximity to those markets makes it an ideal trans-shipment point for European and Canadian firms, as well as Caribbean and Mexican markets. International trade is a major economic driver in the region. According to WorldCity publications, the South Florida region, which is comprised of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, ended 2007 with $79.0 billion in total trade with more than 100 countries in the world.
Strategically located halfway between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) plays a major role in the region, contributing more than $2.7 billion to the economy and providing 37,000 direct and indirect jobs. In 2007, airport passenger traffic exceeded 22 million passengers and air freight totaled 144,642 tons. FLL is served by 27 passenger airlines with more than 700 flights a day to 106 domestic and international destinations.
As a gateway to the world, we have Port Everglades, one of the most dynamic seaports in the world, which is rapidly gaining favor as the perfect hub for north-south trade with fast-growing Latin American and Caribbean markets and for linking them with east-west shipping lines. This top-ranked Port is the 12th largest container port in the United States, with total waterborne commerce topping 25 million tons. More than 35 shipping lines conduct business at the Port, serving more than 150 ports and 70 countries.
To discover why companies like American Express, Research in Motion, DHL and Citrix call Broward home, please call The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance's International Client Manager at 954-524-3113.
