Palm Beach, a period island in Florida
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Beachgoers walk along Ocean Avenue near the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. [Photo/Reuters] |
When Starbucks wanted to open a store there, says Rose, the company was not allowed to have their classic green sign put up on the avenue.
The Everglades Club is known for being the most restrictive, in terms of its entry and enrollment. To this day, the club does not have a website. Entry is out of the question if you are not a member.
There is a typical Palm Beach culture here, according to Rose. "The way you keep something exclusive is you limit the amount of that. As simple as that," he says.
"We can afford to say no to tall buildings, we don't need tall buildings, we wanna have two-story, three-story buildings, we want lots of gardens. It's expensive to be able to do that," Rose adds.
It is not Amish, though. The balance of preservation and modernization is carefully kept in Palm Beach. Despite the traditional clubs holding their heads up high, time at Palm Beach is not frozen. And it has recently got a lot of attention because of US President Donald Trump and his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Apart from affluent winter escapees and domestic visitors, there are also more international visitors.
Ashley Svarney of Discover the Palm Beaches, a local tourism organization, says: "There is the authentic Florida experience here."
She and her organization are inviting people from all around the world to "enjoy the vibe".
"When you need a break from the traffic, and lines, and congestion, you come here," she says.
The local tourism industry is doing more to attract Chinese visitors.
Discover Palm Beaches is now working closely with Visit Florida to attract Chinese tourists, and build brand awareness of the county.
"With direct flights opening from China to Orlando and Miami, it is just so much easier to access Palm Beaches," says Svarney.
