The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced today a record-breaking $26 billion in expenditures by overnight visitors to the destination in 2017, representing a 2.1 per cent increase over the previous year. 

Employment in the leisure and hospitality industry grew by 2.4 per cent reaching a record 144,800 jobs in Miami-Dade for 2017.

The growth for the travel and tourism industry in 2017 was fuelled by the strength of the international market, with the record-setting pace continuing in the first quarter of 2018.

Overnight visitors reached a record 15.9 million in 2017, representing an almost one per cent increase compared to 2016. 

Demand for the destination grew by 4.7 per cent, with hotels selling more room nights in 2017 compared to 2016, a new record.

On the heels of record-breaking hotel metrics in 2017, Greater Miami continued the trend in 2018, increasing hotel occupancy by 4.3 per cent, hotel room rates by 11.8 per cent and revenue per available hotel room (RevPar) by 16.6 per cent, in the first quarter compared to the same time period the previous year, as reported by Smith Travel Research. 

Despite the increases in hotel room inventory in 2017, Hurricane Irma in September and the closure of the Miami Beach Convention Centre for expansion and renovation, the travel and tourism industry achieved record-breaking success due in part to Greater Miami’s strength in the international market. 

International arrivals at Miami International Airport were up by 0.4 per cent in 2017 over a previous record-breaking year. 

Looking ahead, with the September opening of the new, $625 million reimagined Miami Beach Convention Centre, the destination will once again welcome conventions that drive strong local economic impact. 

More than 20 conventions have already been booked in the new facility including the American Health Information Management Association annual convention which will inaugurate the new venue in September 2018 followed by the CA Technology annual convention, committing to the MBCC for at least three years. 

The GMCVB will continue strategic marketing campaigns aimed at the meetings industry to include sales, advertising and digital programs as well communication initiatives including press conferences at selected meetings trade shows.