Brazil invasion helps Florida tourism

More Brazilians vacation in Florida than anywhere else in the United States, a continuing trend that has given a large boost to the state’s tourism and its real estate market. According to data from the U.S. Commerce Department, 1.5 million Brazilians will visit the U.S. in 2012, with the majority of them heading to the Sunshine State. At a recent press conference in Orlando, President Obama called Brazil “especially important for Florida” with a “huge population that loves to come to Florida.” Despite that, Obama said the U.S. made it too hard for Brazilians to make the trip, with an average 76-day wait to get an interview at the U.S. consulate in Sao Paulo. [CNN]