What's Happening This Week @
the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau —

GMCVB WELCOMES GALA CHORUS GROUP
GMCVB President & CEO William D. Talbert III, Cultural Tourism Associate Vice President George Neary and the Convention Sales team welcomed Gala Choruses’ Annual Meeting last week at the Hyatt Regency Miami, greeting 200 guests at a special reception. Delegates were also treated to a Miami orientation workshop and tour of the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA). Special thanks to our hotel partners who helped welcome the delegates last Thursday and the CCPA for the special tour showcasing their venue for the upcoming Festival in July 2008. This prestigious group will be utilizing the Performing Arts Center and the festival will have an economic impact in excess of $7 million.

GMCVB SELLS MIAMI AT LA CUMBRE IN LAS VEGAS, NV
GMCVB Tourism Sales & Media Relations staff will promote Miami at La Cumbre, the premiere travel industry conference for sales and marketing of travel in the Americas, taking place this year in Las Vegas, Nevada September 5-8, 2006. More than 1,200 of Latin American and Caribbean’s media, travel buyers and suppliers will participate. Staff will work the event’s media center as well as conduct individual appointments with top trade and media professionals.

GMCVB SELLS MIAMIi TO NATIONAL LESBIAN & GAY JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION
GMCVB staff is promoting Miami to this prestigious group of 650 top journalists, convening September 7-10, 2006 at the Loews Miami Beach. Staff will exhibit throughout the show in partnership with the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and host a dinner for their board and a select group of media on Wednesday evening.

GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS HOSTS WOMAN’S DAY MAGAZINE
Robyn Moreno, features and interactive media editor, at Women’s Day magazine, will be in Miami September 8-11, 2006 to pursue an assignment on girl friend getaways in the print edition of the magazine. Circulation is 4 million and publication is expected for April 2007 in print and online.

GMCVB SELLS MIAMI AT GAY & LESBIAN WORKSHP AND TRADE SHOW
Cultural Tourism Associate Vice President George Neary will be conducting a workshop and exhibiting September 4-10, 2006 at the Gay & Lesbian Travel Conference on Cultural Tourism attended by more than 300 of the top journalists, travel agents and national hotel, research and meeting planners. In addition, he will exhibit at the Gay Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center-Petree Hall. This event will draw thousands of consumers, tour operators and journalists.


TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 5TH ANNUAL MIAMI SPICE RESTAURANT MONTH PRESENTED BY CAMPO VIEJO!
Heard the buzz about Miami Spice Restaurant Month presented by Campo Viejo, but are worried you missed it? You still have time to pamper your palate or close the business deal without depleting your wallet! Seventy of Miami’s most exclusive culinary hotspots are continuing this popular promotion through the end of September, so you have only 26 days left to squeeze them all in! For the few of you who don’t know, the 5th Annual Miami Spice Restaurant Month provides residents and visitors with the opportunity to savor incredible, special prix fixe menus encompassing three courses (appetizer, entrée and dessert) for $30.06 (dinner) and $20.06 (lunch), both excluding tax and gratuity – a 25-60% discount from the regular value. It’s an incredible opportunity to dine at the finest restaurants in town, at close to half the price. Campo Viejo is offering complimentary wine tastings at various participating restaurants. This week’s wine tastings are September 5, 6:30-8:30 pm at Cacao Restaurant, 141 Giralda Ave. Coral Gables; September 6, 6-8 p.m. at OLA Steak & Tapas at Village of Merrick Park 320 San Lorenzo Ave. Coral Gables, To sweeten the pot, American Express, which has been a long-time supporter of the restaurant industry, including Miami Spice and Taste of the Nation, will donate $.10 for each American Express Card purchase at participating restaurants to United Way to help fight hunger. For more information on the promotion and the Campo Viejo wine tastings, visit www.MiamiRestaurantMonth.com.

GMCVB CONVENTION SALES SELLS MIAMI AT FLORIDA MARKETPLACE
GMCVB Convention Sales sold Miami at a successful Florida Marketplace at the Seminole Hard Rock Resort & Casino August 27-29, 2006. The 11th annual Florida Marketplace, presented by Successful Meetings magazine, was attended by 40 meeting planners. At the GMCVB booth, 18 one-on-one appointments were scheduled during the two days of meetings, resulting in 8 leads with good potential for the Greater Miami area.

GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS PARTNERED WITH TOP GERMAN RADIO STATION TO PROMOTE MIAMI VICE
GMCVB Media Relations partnered with LTU Airlines and HR3, the biggest public radio station in middle Germany to support the release of the movie “Miami Vice” in Germany, August 25, 2006. The radio station raffled a one-week-stay for two persons in Miami. The promotion ran multiple times throughout the day (the day before the release of the movie in theaters). RTL’s primary target audience is mostly between 14 and 39 years-olds (Average listenership: 500,000 hourly).

GMCVB CONVENTION SALES EFFORTS IN WASHINGTON D.C. THIS WEEK
September 6-7, 2006 the GMCVB’s D.C. Regional Sales Director and Sales Manager from Miami will be attending the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings National Tradeshow at the Washington D.C. Convention Center. More than 1,800 meeting planners from associations, corporations, government, military, religious, reunions, incentives, social, ethnic, special events, sports and educational groups are expected – many of whom represent meetings which meet in the summer, which is good for Greater Miami. Special thanks to our hotel partners: Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel, Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel, Newport Beach Resort and the Blue Moon Hotel.


GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS HOSTS BAY AREA REPORTER
Travel writer Ed Walsh will be in Miami September 5-10, 2006 on assignment for the Bay Area Reporter magazine. Circulation is 50,000+. This publication (www.EBAR.com) was created for the gay and lesbian community in the San Francisco Bay area. Highlights news in the gay community, in addition to art, travel, entertainment and social issues of interest to readers.

VISITOR INDUSTRY COUNCIL STUDENTS TO BE HONORED AT SIXTH ANNUAL PILLARS AWARDS DINNER
Miami-Dade County’s Black Affairs Advisory Board’s Heritage Planning Committee has chosen its community honorees for the 2006 Pillars Awards, who will be recognized at an awards dinner on September 22, 2006 at the Biscayne Bay-Downtown Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Honorees include Miami-Dade Commissioner Dennis Moss (public service award), Jim Berry (media award), Ms. Shirley Richardson, Ms. Patricia Williams and Mr. Dwayne Wynn (The Arts award). The committee also partnered to honor students receiving scholarships from the Visitor Industry Council, created by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to expand the participating of African Americans in the visitor industry. The Pillars Awards event will begin with a silent auction and reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person and sponsorship packages are available.

The Black Heritage Planning Committee is a subcommittee of the Black Affairs Advisory Board. It is comprised of volunteer Miami-Dade County employees whose primary purpose is to plan and implement activities that highlight the rich cultural contributions of the African Diaspora. The annual Pillars Awards recognizes people from the community who often work behind the scenes and are rarely recognized. For further details on the Black Affairs Advisory Board or the Annual Pillars Awards banquet, call (305) 375-5730.

GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS ASSISTING DUTCH TRAVEL PROGRAM
GMCVB Media Relations staff is assisting a Dutch film crew from RTL Travel, a leading Dutch network travel series, which will be filming in Miami from September 7-11, 2006. RTL Travel will feature Miami as a luxury destination and will be filming at restaurants, nightclubs, shopping destinations and hotels that accommodate the luxury traveler. In addition to the film feature, the program will be accessible through their website: www.BlueCircle.tv/www.RTLTravel.nl which has an estimated 20,000 hits daily. (Estimated viewership: 700,000 and 300,000 for re-runs).

DON’T MISS THE NFL OPENING KICKOFF 2006
GMCVB, which is an active member of the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee, which encourages locals to experience their NFL Opening Kickoff Concert. Three-time Grammy winner Diddy will join Cassie, Tego Calderon and DJ Riz for a free concert in Miami Beach presented by Sprint on September 7, 2006. Portions of the event will air live on NBC beginning at 8 p.m. as a lead in to the season opener between the Miami Dolphins and the Super Bowl XL Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Leading up to the concert, events will be held in Lummus Park (Ocean Drive and 10th Street) on September 6 and 7, 2006. They include: a NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick event, youth football clinics, autograph signings and a tailgate zone for fans.

This is a tremendous opportunity for the local community to join in the festivities of a new football season while embracing the South Florida Super Bowl XLI spirit! GMCVB encourages your hotel to become a part of the celebration and to spread the word.

In the near future, the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee will provide hotels with flyers to put in lobbies and at concierge desks. Also, if hotel cable programs include the NFL Network, please set the televisions to be on the channel September 7 to give fans a real football experience. If you require ssistance with the NFL Network, please call Steven Wexler at (310) 840-4658.

For further information on the NFL Kick-off event, please visit http://www.SuperBowlXLI.org/ or contact Kathryn Rogers, director of VIP Relations and Hospitality Services, at KRogers@SuperBowlXLI.org. Visit for more details.

GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS HOSTS FOOD & LIFE ARIZONA
Associate editor Mark Chacon will be in Miami September 6-11, 2006 on assignment for food & life Arizona magazine (http://www.FoodandLifeMagazine.com). This is a prestigious monthly publication dedicated to keeping its 55,000 readers in the know about the finest dining establishments, hottest new chefs, ritziest travel destinations, ultimate in luxury living and more.

SAVE THE DATE FOR GMCVB’S ANNUAL MEETING AT NEW CARNIVAL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
GMCVB is setting the stage for an exciting new year and celebrating a year of success at their annual meeting on October 30, 2006, located at the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami. Meeting takes place at 4 p.m. followed by a reception. More information to follow…

GMCVB MEDIA RELATIONS HOSTS GAY TRAVEL WRITER
Travel writer Ed Salvato, who is editor of PlanetOut.com, Gay.com, The Out Traveler (print magazine), and contributor to the Miami Herald and Sirius Satellite Radio, will be in Miami September 7-10, 2006 on assignment for an online dining story and on-air discussion about the destination. The websites receive a total of 5 million unique visits per month and his radio segment has approximately 10,000 listeners.

WANT TO BRAG ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS TO GMCVB MEMBERS?
Have something you want GMCVB staff and members to know about, such as new products or hotel openings? Or maybe your company or staff is in the news? Let us know for our upcoming “GMCVB Member Highlights” newsletter. Send news to Ibis Romero, GMCVB’s AVP of Membership, Ibis@GMCVB.com

TOUR GUIDE CERTIFICATION COURSE OFFERED IN SEPTEMBER
Miami-Dade College’s Travel and Tourism Department is offering its renowned Tour Guide Certification course September 19, 20, 21 and 23, 2006. This is a joint initiative between Miami Dade College (MDC), the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Florida Association of Meetings & Events Professionals Inc. (FAME), the Southern Florida Concierge Association (SFCA) and the Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida (PTGAF). Be a part of Miami’s tourism success by assuring tourists that they will be given an educational and fun tour. Enhance their experience and ensure your repeat business. This course is ideal for tourism professionals seeking certification. Enroll Now! Use Reference# 393154. Call 305/237-1093 or NTravel@mdc.edu for more information.

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GMCVB MEMBERSHIP…
Please don’t forget to send the GMCVB Membership Department any updates in your contact information, so that you receive the all GMCVB news. Also, please remember to visit Member_Services to access the membership directory and convention calendars, as well as review your individual listings, research information and much more. Please send updates and questions (i.e. if you need a reminder about login access), to Ibis Romero.