Franchise Expo South takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center this weekend, offering individuals who want to start their own business the chance to meet franchisors and learn about franchising, amid projected growth in the industry.

Sponsored by the International Franchise Association, the sixth annual expo will feature educational seminars and conferences, in addition to franchisor exhibits on the tradeshow floor.

Over the years, the range of available franchises has blossomed, said Tom Portesy, president of MFV Expositions, producers of Franchise Expo South.

“You have franchising in every industry you can imagine, from children’s daycare to adult care, from construction to signs, and from food to auto painting,” he said. “It just touches every industry.”

Several thousand people from South Florida as well as from Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to attend the three-day event, which begins Friday, Portesy said.

The cost to open a franchise can range from $5,000 to $5 million, and the expo is geared to help prospective franchisees find the types of businesses that match their needs, he said.

There are 825,000 franchises in the United States, supporting 18 million jobs and contributing $2.1 trillion to the nation’s economy, said Steve Caldeira, president and chief executive of the International Franchise Association in Washington, D.C.

After three years of restrained growth due to the recession, franchises are forecast to grow 1.9 percent this year, according to a report by IHS Global Insight for the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation.

At Franchise Expo South, the tradeshow floor will feature about 200 exhibitors, including Hardee’s, The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., Baskin-Robbins, EmbroidMe, Lucille Roberts, Red Mango, Sign-a-Rama, Wireless Zone, MoneySaver Coupons, and Burger 21.

Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development at Tampa-based Burger 21, said his goal at the show is to create awareness.

“We haven’t done target franchise recruiting yet in South Florida, and the Expo is really our kickoff to a campaign that will run from the event [through March],” Stone said. “We’re using the show as a launching platform to get in front of several thousand people to show them pictures and brochures and answer questions.”