Tourism in Miami Solidifies Recovery: GMCVB Reports USD 21.3 Billion in Visitor Spending and Announces Mega-Events for 2026

(By Maqueda and Mauvecin, with Maurizio) With 28.2 million visitors in the last year and a strategy centered on luxury, sports, and culture, Miami is poised to host the FIFA World Cup 2026, the College Football Playoff National Championship, and more.

Estimated strategic-reading time: 4 minutes

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) held its annual meeting on November 6 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, highlighting a year of resilience and growth for Miami-Dade County’s tourism sector. With total visitor spending of USD 21.3 billion (up 3% year over year) and 28.2 million visitors (up 4.5%), the destination confirmed its appeal to leisure travelers, business travelers, and mass events.

Miami has not only recovered its pre-pandemic tourism pace; it has surpassed it. Through a mix of global events, infrastructure investment, and a sophisticated marketing strategy, the destination is solidifying itself as the epicenter of luxury, sports, and culture tourism in the Americas.

About GMCVB:

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official tourism-promotion organization for Miami-Dade County, responsible for positioning the destination globally through marketing strategies, partnerships, and support for the local business ecosystem.

To view the full annual report and the 2025–2026 business plan, visit gmcvb.com.

Key achievements (July 2024 – June 2025):

 

  • Strong domestic demand: 31% of visitors were Florida residents, reflecting domestic-market strength.

 

  • Steady domestic visitation: 46% of total visitors came from other U.S. states, signaling a steady rebound.

 

  • Rising hotel rates: the daily average rate increased by 2.4%, placing Miami among the country’s most profitable destinations.

 

Strategies behind success:

 

  • Iconic marketing programs: such as Miami Spice, promoting 59 MICHELIN-starred restaurants in the destination.

 

  • High-profile sporting events: the calendar included PGA Tour stops, NASCAR, and preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026.

 

  • Infrastructure investment: the upcoming Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel will bolster meetings and conventions tourism.



2026 outlook: The year of mega-events

Miami is preparing to host:

 

  • FIFA World Cup 2026 (matches at Hard Rock Stadium)

 

  • College Football Playoff National Championship

 

  • World Baseball Classic

 

  • NASCAR Cup Series Championship

 

  • F1

 

 

David Whitaker, GMCVB president and CEO, emphasized: “Our momentum is clearly defined: we will leverage these global events to showcase our luxury, culture, and gastronomy.”

New leadership on the board:

Four key executives joined:

 

  • Mickael Damelincourt (Trump National Doral Miami)

 

  • Christine Duffy (Carnival Cruise Line)

 

  • Robin Jacobs (Miami Beach Convention Center)

 

  • Florencia Tabeni (MDM Hotel Group)




Strategic directions for 2026:

 

  • Marketing aimed at luxury travelers with high purchasing power

 

  • Professional development in the hotel sector

 

  • Integration of music and culture as pillars of tourism promotion

 

  • Community engagement to ensure inclusive growth



 

If you’d like, I can tailor this translation further for a specific publication or slide deck (e.g., executive summary, press release, or LinkedIn post).

 

Infonegocios Miami: a business-oriented publication for the Anglo-Latin community.

www.InfonegociosMiami.com

Follow us for more analysis: @InfonegociosMiami

Read Smart, Be Smarter.

Infonegocios Miami—Economic, Cultural, and Business Intelligence with a Global Lens

 

Read Smart, Be Smarter!

https://infonegocios.miami/suscribite-al-newsletter

Contact: [email protected]

Infonegocios NETWORK: 4.5 million Anglo-Latinos united by a passion for business.

Join us and stay informed

© 2025 Infonegocios Miami.



Tu opinión enriquece este artículo:

Miami se consolida como la capital global de las stablecoins (entrevista exclusiva con los fundadores de Shield, neobanco)

(Por Taylor, desde Silicon Beach y Maurizio) Mientras Wall Street observa con cautela, el corredor Miami-Latinoamérica ejecuta la disrupción financiera más significativa desde la invención de la banca electrónica. Las stablecoins dejan de ser experimento cripto para convertirse en infraestructura crítica del comercio hemisférico.

(Tiempo de lectura de alto valor: 4 minutos) (Este valioso contenido también está disponible en nuestras secciones en inglés y en portugués)

Miami Art Week 2025, la metamorfosis cultural que transformó el concepto de experiencia artística global en el mundo

(Taylor & Maurizio) Cuando el arte trasciende los museos: la semana que convierte a Miami en la capital mundial de la creatividad contemporánea, donde cruza (Crossing) todo tipo de cultura, experiencias, activaciones, phydigitalidad. Un ejemplo más que marketing, cultura, deporte, moda, show, politica, gastronomía, todo está interrelacionado.

(Tiempo de lectura de valor: 4 minutos)

La adquisición del siglo: Netflix compra Warner Bros. y HBO (reimaginado el futuro del universo, crossing y phydigital, del entretenimiento)

(Por Maqueda, Taylor y Maurizio) Una jugada estratégica que redefine la industria, y todas las industrias, desde Hollywood, Miami, Usa, el mundo: claves técnicas, implicaciones creativas y 15 tips para entender de manera rápida la megafusión que sacude los cimientos de los medios. ¿Por qué esta adquisición es espejo de una cambio total de visión de negocios, cultura de marca y apuestas “económicas -culturales” a largo plazo. 

(Tiempo de lectura de valor: 4 minutos)

MLS Cup 2025 (Inter Miami CF y Vancouver Whitecaps): ya llega la final que redefine el fútbol continental

(Por Ortega) El epicentro neurálgico del fútbol norteamericano se prepara para su catarsis más esperada: la final que trasciende las fronteras del entretenimiento deportivo. El sábado 6 de diciembre de 2025, a las 3:30 pm hora del Este, no será simplemente un partido: será la materialización de tres décadas de construcción de un ecosistema futbolístico que desafía los paradigmas establecidos del deporte global.

(Tiempo de lectura de valor: 4 minutos)