The Greater Miami Conventions and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) announced Wednesday that two noteworthy events are scheduled to take place in Miami-Dade County between now and May 2021. The GMCVB made the announcement at its annual meeting at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — also known as the Aesthetic Society — is scheduled to host a conference from April 30 to May 3, 2021 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Some of the event’s functions will take place virtually, however it is one of the first groups to book an event in Miami-Dade County since March amid the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kathleen McClemmy, director of meetings at the Aesthetic Society, said she toured the convention center’s facilities last week, and the health and safety precautions in place eased her concerns. Safety measures include socially distant food service options, large event rooms to space out seating and online production capabilities to broadcast events.
“We are so exited about all the things [the GMCVB] has done to set us on the right path to bring face-to-face meetings back,” McClemmy said.
Additionally, GMCVB CEO Bill Talbert said the Latin Grammy’s plans to host its annual award show Nov. 19 at the American Airlines Arena.
The awards show will broadcast live from the arena and attendance will be limited to performers and their teams. Talbert highlighted the event as a chance to get Miami back into the public eye as a potential travel destination.
Covid-19 restrictions on travel and in-person gatherings eliminated all events for much of 2020, including Art Basel and Ultra Music Festival. As those restrictions are eased, the region is seeing the slow return of some large-scale events like the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show beginning Oct. 28.
The return of major events has not offset the effects the pandemic has had on conventions and large-scale events.
Talbert said 18 GMCVB employees have been laid off and the bureau tapped its business recovery funds to sustain it through the rest of the year. Executive salaries have also been cut.
Without revenue from conventions and events, the GMCVB pivoted to attract money from other businesses.
Bruce Orosz, chairman of the GMCVB, said the bureau launched a Safe Sets marketing initiative to draw film and television production crews to the county. He added the bureau aims to create bubble-like production sets, similar to what the NBA had in Orlando this summer.
Additionally, Talbert said the bureau’s Miami Land marketing initiative aims to draw visitors to the county’s outdoor attractions like its state parks.
The Miami-Dade County Commission granted the GMCVB $5 million in CARES Act money to fund the campaign.
Talbert added that on Monday, the GMCVB hosted an online meeting with 53 hotel representatives to brainstorm ways to draw more conventions and meetings to the county in the coming months.
