Spring visitor numbers taking off

Miami-Dade’s domestic and international travel is ramping up. Conventions, sporting events, hotel demand, plus airline and cruise travel are key cogs in this year’s expected growth.

The county enjoyed soaring visitor numbers to kick off the year, said Rolando Aedo, chief operating officer at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. “That first week of January, which runs through Jan. 6 … we saw a growth of 6.9% in hotel room demand, a growth of 7.8% in hotel occupancy, 9.8% growth in hotel room rates and 18.4% growth in revenue per available room, so very strong performance. We know that’s not going to happen every week, but that’s one great way to start the year.”

Visitors who come for meetings and conventions also are pivotal in the outlook for tourism, and are as important as visitors who come for holidays or vacation, said Mr. Aedo. In 2023, 14 citywide conventions were booked. This year, the goal is 15, and about four have been booked for the year, including Cosmoprof Jan. 23-25. “We already are off on a very strong pace for 2024, so our outlook for meetings and conventions is very positive for 2024.”

In 2018 the Miami Beach Convention Center underwent a $640 million renovation. This year, its headquarter hotel is expected to break ground and add to the center’s demand as well as attract future conventions.

“That [the renovation of the convention center] was a critical component for our success,” said Mr. Aedo. “Now, to become even more successful, the City of Miami Beach approved a new hotel to be built next to the convention center. It hasn’t broken ground yet, but we are expecting that in 2024 there will be the groundbreaking for the new Miami Beach Convention Center headquarters hotel, which is scheduled to be a Grand Hyatt. Once that groundbreaking happens, then there will be a lot of excitement, a lot of momentum to help us bring even more meetings and conventions.”

International travel is also expected to grow this year. Along with these visitors come extended stays in the county. Such travelers fuel hotels, restaurants and attractions.

“Another reason that we anticipate that 2024 will be even more successful than 2023 is the full return of the international market,” said Mr. Aedo.

“Towards the latter half of 2023, we started seeing a lot of those international markets reopen after the pandemic because they took a lot longer, but we’re starting to see healthy growth in some of the key international markets, especially Latin America, whether it’s Colombia, Brazil – even Argentina is starting to come back strong. That started in 2023, but we’re also looking for 2024 for that momentum to increase.”

A priority of the bureau is to keep working with the airport to add new direct flights from key markets, said Mr. Aedo. “In 2024, there’s going to be new direct service from Barcelona to Miami through LEVEL airlines, and that’s a brand new airline that’s going to be flying to Miami from Spain – from Europe. We have specific programs here at the GMCVB and we partner with Miami International Airport, which is owned and operated by the county, and we put together incentive packages to bring more carriers to Miami. We’re working on other markets as well.”

“It’s a little premature for us to be talking about that, but that is part of our key strategies: how can we work with the airport and encourage and entice more airlines to fly direct service to Miami?” he said.

PortMiami is also paving the way to increase tourism as it welcomes the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.

“We’ve always been considered the cruise capital of the world and it’s never been more true, more real,” Mr. Aedo said. “We have all the major cruise lines … we have the most cruise passengers and … we’re home to the world’s largest cruise ship [Icon of the Seas]. “Many of those passengers will spend a couple of nights in Miami before or after, and that’s going to be every week. A lot of credit to PortMiami. They are not only bringing new ships, they’re opening new terminals.”

The sports world continues to grow in the county as Copa America and the World Cup approach.

“We’re going to have an amazing soccer event,” Mr. Aedo said. “Copa America is coming to Miami. We’re going to have the finals this summer at Hard Rock Stadium, and the other thing we’re working on, which is not for 2024 but for 2026, of course, is the World Cup. So there’s a lot of activity and excitement on so many things, on the arts and culture front, on the sports front.”

As world-famous events come to the county, different cities within the county are likely to shine.

“We do think that with a lot of the international attention that we’re getting, whether it’s sporting events, Formula 1, World Cup, we know how insanely passionate the world is about soccer and Formula 1,” said Mr. Aedo. “Those are the two most global sports in the world, and we’re blessed to have them both coming to Miami, so there’s going be a lot of attention and interest in Miami.”