Here is the plan to recover from the worst tourism crisis in Miami history
Miami’s tourism marketing bureau has a plan to lure travelers back to South Florida but says it is short on funds to execute it.
The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau is requesting $7.5 million from Miami-Dade County’s $474 million in federal CARES Act funding for its “Miami Land” advertising campaign, targeting people who live within a road trip’s distance and are looking to spend time outdoors. The bureau’s $32 million budget — the majority funded by hotel and restaurant taxes — has dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic as hotel occupancy rates have plunged to record lows.
The Miami Land campaign is the first step to recovery for the city’s tourism industry, the bureau said in a proposal to Miami-Dade commissioners this week.
Of the $7.5 million, $5 million will be spent on advertising, $1,375,000 on project management and production, $585,000 on Google platforms production, $450,000 on website development, and $90,000 on production equipment, the proposal said. The campaign will promote Miami’s outdoor spaces, including Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.
“What we’re trying to do is drive as much responsible tourism in the fall because that first quarter is where this community makes a lot of money,” said Rolando Aedo, the bureau’s chief operating officer.
Since hotels first closed their doors in mid-March, the bureau has cut staff, salaries and contributions to retirement plans to limit expenses, Aedo said. Chief Executive Officer Bill Talbert said his salary was cut by 25%. In its tax-exempt status form to the Internal Revenue Service in 2018, the bureau reported Talbert’s salary was $450,143.
Right before COVID-19 hit the industry, the bureau successfully fended off state legislation that would have loosened restrictions on how local governments can spend hotel taxes, reallocating money spent on the bureau to fund parks, trails and water-quality improvements.
Since October 2019, the bureau has received $14,901,326 in county tax funds, far short of its usual $25 million per year share. Payments to the bureau peaked in April at $3,138,487 following the Super Bowl and bottomed out in July at $178,549. Talbert said the bureau has $10 million in reserves that it hasn’t had to touch yet.
The bureau’s budget shortfall could reach $12 million in the next fiscal year, Talbert said.
“This recovery is going to take longer than any other crisis we’ve been through in the past,” he said.
The Miami Land campaign launched in January based on research that showed travelers are interested in more outdoor experiences, even before COVID-19 made outdoor activity a safer bet. The bureau had to shut it down in March when funds disappeared.
Aedo said he hopes it will draw people to the large national parks, and also the lesser known local gems like the Fruit and Spice Park and Tropical Park.
“It has so much potential to spur recovery of tourism because its foundation is outdoor experiences,” said Aedo. “Travelers are seeking those now more than ever.”
