Miami’s Tourism Sector Is Setting Record Numbers and Gaining Momentum
The Greater
Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) recently celebrated the
robust performance of Miami-Dade
County’s tourism sector at its Annual State of the Travel & Tourism
Industry presentation.
Held at the Norwegian
Cruise Line terminal in PortMiami
(a.k.a. the “Cruise Capital of the World”), the event showcased the industry’s
successes and highlighted last year’s marketing programs that fueled strong
momentum from 2023 into early 2024. The full 2023 Visitor Industry Overview
report can be viewed here,
This year’s event
saw the participation of over 650 of GMCVB’s industry partners, government officials and community
leaders, all of whom gathered to learn about key updates on the region’s
primary economic powerhouse.
The timing of the
presentation, coinciding with National
Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), underscored tourism’s crucial role in
economic development, job creation and improving local residents’ quality of
life. Nationally, tourism is a $2.8 trillion industry that supplies around 15
million jobs and feeds various other essential sectors, making it a fundamental
part of the country’s overall competitiveness.
USS Bataan at NCL Terminal in PortMiami (Photo Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line)
David Whitaker,
President and CEO of GMCVB, reflected on the past year’s accomplishments,
noting that Greater Miami and Miami Beach attracted over 27.2 million visitors
in 2023. This influx generated an estimated $21.1 billion in spending, a two
percent increase over the previous year, and resulted in the sale of 17.3
million hotel room nights, representing a marginal year-over-year increase of
0.3 percent.
“The
sustained growth we witnessed in 2023 and the promising start to 2024 are due
to our ability to effectively market the enduring appeal of Greater Miami and
Miami Beach as a must-visit destination,” said Whitaker. “We know that visitors
can easily make the decision to spend their discretionary dollars elsewhere.
Tourism magnifies the vibrancy of cultures inherent in our diverse
neighborhoods and at the same time, supports essential programs that enhance
the lives of residents throughout the county. We know that when tourism
flourishes, our communities thrive.”
in her inaugural
State of the Travel & Tourism address as GMCVB Board Chair, Julissa Kepner underscored
the destination’s dedication to continuous innovation and synergism. “I’ve
taken the step to remove the word ‘complacency’ from my vocabulary when
thinking about how I view Miami-Dade’s tourism and hospitality sector,” she
said. “This industry is dynamic and ever-evolving. Our ability to grow and
mature as a destination is rooted in competitive marketing, expanding our
programming, championing sustainability, being more inclusive and seeking out
additional cultural treasures to showcase on a global scale.”
Key industry
highlights from 2023 included:
- Tourism
produced nearly $30 billion in economic impact and over $19 billion in Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), accounting for nine percent of Miami-Dade County’s
total GDP. - Visitors
generated $4.98 billion in tax revenue, reducing the tax burden on the average local
household by $2,233 and individual residents by $786 annually. - The
sector also supported more than 200,000 jobs, resulting in $11 billion in wages
produced county-wide.
Marketing
Campaigns
Innovative
campaigns, such as the “Rainbow Spring” initiative tailored for
LGBTQ+ visitors, contributed to the sustained momentum. This campaign alone saw
18,000 bookings and $11.1 million in gross bookings during March and April
2024, a 5.5 percent increase from the previous year. Other successful campaigns
like “Find Your Miami” and “Find Your Wave” continued to
promote the unique attributes of the region’s neighborhoods and cultural
experiences.
For 2024, the
GMCVB aims to build on this energy with such initiatives as the “Brought
to You by Tourism” campaign, which raises local awareness of tourism’s
community benefits. Data from Miami International Airport and PortMiami emphasized
the strength of the sector, with record volumes of air travelers, cruise
passengers, hotel stays, and meetings and conventions bookings contributing to
the region’s economic vitality.
Record Numbers
Raising the bar
higher than ever, Miami International Airport welcomed over 52.3 million
travelers in 2023, a 3.2 percent increase over 2022. International arrivals increased
by 8.5 percent from the previous year. That momentum, driven by both domestic
and international travelers, continued into 2024’s first quarter, with air
arrivals increasing by 11.5 percent over the same period in 2023.
Similarly,
PortMiami marked 2023 as its busiest year ever, hosting 7.49 million cruise
passengers, an 11 percent increase from its previous record set in 2019.
Meanwhile, hotel demand has also risen accordingly to accommodate all of these
inbound visitors. In 2024’s first quarter, Greater Miami and Miami Beach emerged
as the nation’s frontrunner in terms of hotel occupancy, touting an increase of
3.3 percent over the sam period last year. The meetings and conventions sector
also flourished, with the GMCVB securing 13 major conventions at the Miami
Beach Convention Center by May 2024, generating over $195 million in economic
impact.
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