As the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) and the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association have teamed up to support the hundreds of thousands of airline, cruise line and travel and tourism employees that are the lifeblood of Miami’s hospitality industry.
Initiatives in Miami include hotels open for only Essential Lodgers which include health care professionals, first responders and patients’ families, among many others. To support hotels that choose to remain open under this order and the workers they employ, the GMCVB has put together a comprehensive list of those hotels open for Essential Lodgers.
As hospitals and public agencies ramp up their efforts to treat COVID-19 patients and keep residents safe, the GMCVB has launched an initiative to show support for the work of front-line and first responders. Miami Salutes calls on hotels, restaurants and retailers to extend special offers to hospital workers, medical professionals, firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers and military, and is providing an updated list of all those special offers on the GMCVB’s website.
Hospitality industry workers are among the hardest hit in terms of business impact and job losses as a result of low demand related to COVID-19. Thanks to a partnership between the GMCVB, United Way, Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, Health Foundation of South Florida and The Miami Foundation, a $500,000 fund has been created to support struggling families with emergency needs including food, supplies, utilities, rent/mortgage assistance and micro-grants. Those wishing to apply or donate to the fund can do so here.
In addition, in response to increasing need, the GMCVB launched a webpage listing all the resources and charitable opportunities available for the travel and hospitality industry. The Help for Tourism page provides the industry and other GMCVB partners a look at how to secure assistance or even offer help should they be in the position to do so.
Many of Miami’s museums and other attractions have quickly responded to closures due to the Coronavirus pandemic with virtual programming. To support these establishments, the GMCVB has gathered links to online/social media offerings and is promoting nationally as a way to keep the Miami brand top-of-mind.
Effective immediately, the GMCVB will continue to provide services and support to its more than 1,000 members without charging membership fees. This will lessen the burden on businesses, so they can invest those dollars in their people and future recovery efforts. The fee waiver will continue until further notice.
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