Simon Property Group expands its portfolio and presents new products

Within the framework of the ANATO Tourism Showcase, Travel2latam spoke with Lorena García, Area Director of Marketing and Business Development of Simon Property Group, about the company's positioning in the Latin American market, the current dynamism of the visitor in the United States and the actions planned for this year in its main shopping centers.

What does participating in the ANATO Tourism Showcase mean to you, and what meetings are you holding with the Latin American market?

We are very happy to be here. This is my first time participating in ANATO, and it's truly an incredible experience for us. We are ready to expand our tourism program in Colombia because Colombian clients are very important to Simon Property Group.
For destinations like Orlando, Miami, and Puerto Rico, Latin America is key. We are promoting all our outlets, malls, mills, and premium outlets. We love the energy here and are working to develop some very exciting programs with agencies, wholesalers, and airlines.

What specific actions are you promoting at this fair?

Our most unique program is our voucher program, where we give away discount coupons. These can be digital or printed. It's a benefit we offer to wholesalers, agencies, and airlines. It's one of the main topics we're presenting at all our meetings.

This is a special year for the United States with the arrival of the World Cup. How are you preparing, and what impact do you expect on tourism?
Tourism is going to explode in the United States. We're putting together many programs in Miami, Orlando, and other cities where matches will be played.
We plan to organize special activities for visitors, such as screens to watch the games in outlet stores, special events, and giveaways. We expect a very strong surge in activity by June. In addition, we're anticipating a greater influx of visitors from Latin America.

In terms of infrastructure and expansion, what new developments can you share?

A very important development is the acquisition of Taubman. Thanks to this, we now have properties such as:

• Dolphin Mall (Miami)
• Brickell City Centre (Miami)
• The Mall of San Juan (Puerto Rico)

These shopping centers join our existing brands such as Sawgrass Mills, Orlando Premium Outlets, The Florida Mall, and Dadeland Mall. We now have more malls and more Premium Outlets to offer the market.

 How are you seeing the demand from the Latin market this year?

We traditionally see many Latin American visitors in November, December, and early January, especially for Three Kings Day. Then there's usually a lull until spring.
However, this year is different. We're still seeing Latin American visitors, they're still buying, and we're very busy. We haven't seen this kind of activity in years. It's very positive for us.

Will there be specific promotional plans for agencies and operators?

Yes, in addition to the voucher program, we'll have special benefits for VIPs and incentive groups. We work closely with our stores—like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Adidas—to create customized programs for Latin American customers.
We also collaborate with hoteliers, DMCs, and the entire tourism ecosystem. We need to work together because everyone wants to shop with us, and that's a very positive thing.