A Message from William D. Talbert III, CDME
President & CEO

October 6, 2008

GMCVB WELCOMES GLOBAL SPECTRUM TO THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
On October 2nd, the GMCVB Convention Sales team joined William D. Talbert III, CDME, GMCVB President & CEO in greeting the Global Spectrum management team with breakfast and a warm welcome at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). Global Spectrum assumed management of the MBCC on October 1st. Both the GMCVB and Global Spectrum took the opportunity to introduce themselves and their roles in each organization. The GMCVB and Global Spectrum look forward to working together to promote the destination and sell the Miami Beach Convention Center for meetings, conventions, trade shows and events.

GMCVB PRESIDENT & CEO PARTICIPATES IN U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS’ FORUM ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF AIR TRAVEL, TOURISM AND THE ARTS
On October 3rd, U.S Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz along with Honolulu (HI) Mayor Mufi Hanneman, West Palm Beach (FL) Mayor Lois Frankel and USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran held a Mayors’ Forum on Air Travel, Tourism & the Arts and the economic impact and support of jobs that each sector has on the U.S. economy. GMCVB President & CEO William D., Talbert, III, CDME participated in the forum, which was attended by more than 40 mayors from key cities around the country including North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns and Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. This Mayors’ meeting on Tourism and the Arts was the fifth and last in a series of mayoral forums in key cities around the country intended to challenge the next Presidential Administration to invest in America’s cities and metropolitan areas – the economic engine of the nation accounting for 86 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and where over 85 percent of people in the country live. Recommendations from the mayors’ forum will be presented to the next President of the United States during the critical first 100 days of the new administration.

NEXT GMCVB MEMBER MIXER IS OCTOBER 23RD AT VILLAGE OF MERRICK PARK IN CORAL GABLES
The GMCVB’s next Member Mixer will be a fabulous outdoor event! Join us on Thursday, October 23rd from 6 to 8 p.m. in the beautiful courtyard at the Village of Merrick Park for an evening of cocktails and food samplings from Coral Gables restaurants. Food tents will be set up, and there will be music, prizes and other activities. This event is a joint effort with Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and Village of Merrick Park, with cocktails provided by Bacardi.

GMCVB PRESIDENT & CEO GUEST SPEAKER AT COCONUT GROVE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TGIF NETWORKING LUNCHEON ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10th
William D. Talbert, III, CDME, GMCVB President & CEO will be the guest speaker at the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce’s popular TGIF Networking Lunch Series of Friday, October 10th at noon to be held at Sammy C’S Restaurant/Lounge, 3450 Main Highway, Coconut Grove. To RSVP call 305 444-7270 or info@coconutgrove.com.

GMCVB’S MIAMI BOUTIQUE HOTELS STAFF PARTNERED WITH FUNKSHION: FASHION WEEK MIAMI BEACH OCTOBER 1-5, 2008
GMCVB’s Miami Boutique Hotels staff partnered with Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach to showcase the destination to the fashion industry. More than 2,000 people attend this annual fashion week, which takes place October 1-5, 2008 at various venues throughout Miami and Miami Beach. Miami Boutique Hotels had a branding presence at Richy Rich, Red Dress and Christina Ferrari’s shows, which included logos on invitations, websites, step and repeats, press interviews, and photo ops on the runway at the Richy Rich fashion show. For more information, visit www.Funkshion.com.

GMCVB’S CONVENTION SALES ATTENDED VIRGINIA SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES’ FALL SUMMIT ON OCTOBER 2, 2008
GMCVB Convention Sales attended the Virginia Society of Association Executives’ (VSAE) Fall Summit in Richmond, Virginia on October 2nd. The Bureau exhibited at the trade show and 35 meeting planners visited the GMCVB booth. As a result, 2 leads were generated on site and 6 are in development. The Fall Summit attracted over 300 attendees.

GMCVB’S CULTURAL TOURISM STAFF SELLS MIAMI AT GAY & LESBIAN TRADE SHOW IN NEW YORK OCTOBER 11-12, 2008
GMCVB Associate Vice President of Cultural Tourism George Neary will be selling Greater Miami and the Beaches at the Annual Gay & Lesbian Expo being held at the Manhattan Center on October 11-12, 2008 in New York City. There will be more than 150 exhibits and an expected attendance of more than 2,500 consumers, journalists, tour operators and travel professionals. For more information, visit www.HXMedia.com.

GMCVB’S CONVENTION SALES PARTICIPATES IN AMERICAN EXPRESS PANEL
GMCVB Convention Sales has been asked to participate on a panel for an American Express Best Practice Procurement meeting on Wednesday October 15th. The content of the program will be to discuss why, when and how to use CVBs. The panel will consist of the Greater Miami CVB, as well as the CVBs of Las Vegas, San Jose and Atlanta. The participants will be 75 American Express meeting planners, procurement specialists, program coordinators and other key decision makers from all over the country.

GMCVB’S DIRECTOR OF SALES ATTENDS IRISH VISIT USA TRAVEL AGENT SEMINAR AND MEDIA APPRECIATION LUNCHEON IN DUBLIN, IRELAND
Peter Moss, GMCVB Director of Sales, Europe & Asia, will represent the destination at the annual Irish Visit USA Committee Travel Agent Seminar in Dublin, Ireland on October 6, 2008. Some 50 travel agent consultants from Dublin and the surrounding area will meet with a group of U.S. suppliers to learn more about current developments.

GMCVB’S DIRECTOR OF SALES ATTENDS VISIT FLORIDA IRISH TRAVEL TRADE AND MEDIA APPRECIATION LUNCHEON IN DUBLIN
Peter Moss, GMCVB Director of Sales, Europe & Asia, will represent the destination at the annual Visit Florida Partners luncheon for important Irish travel trade partners and travel media in Dublin, Ireland on October 6, 2008.

GMCVB’S MEDIA RELATIONS HOSTS ‘LUXURY FOR LESS’ CROSS MARKET FAMILIARIZATION (FAM) TOUR
GMCVB Media Relations will host a group of international media for a “Luxury for Less” familiarization themed tour October 7-11, 2008. Journalists will experience budget friendly venues, as well as affordable gourmet dining, shopping outlets, value conscious attractions and nightlife. The following journalists will participate in the tour and represent these publications: O Estado De São Paulo newspaper, Brazil (circulation: 500,000), Viajes Mundo Traveler magazine, Mexico (circulation: 50,000); Company magazine, UK (circulation: 240,000), Chatelaine magazine, Canada (circulation: 580,000), Gazelle magazine, France (circulation: 100,000), and The Women’s Newspaper, U.S. (circulation: 2 million).

GMCVB TOURISM SALES ATTENDS MLT VACATIONS/UNIVERSITY PRODUCT LAUNCH, OCTOBER 6 - 9, 2008
GMCVB Tourism Sales staff, joined by an Amazing Attractions Association representative, will attend the 2009 MLT Vacations/University Product Launch held in St. Paul, Minnesota. More than 1,600 travel agents are expected to gather during this 15th annual event. The program includes seminars and a trade show where 200-plus suppliers will exhibit over a course of three days.

GMCVB’S MEDIA RELATIONS ASSISTS FODOR’S FLORIDA GUIDE WRITER OCTOBER 1-6, 2008
GMCVB Media Relations assisted a writer on assignment for Fodor's Travel Publications to update the dining and lodging sections of the Miami & Miami Beach chapter of the Fodor’s Florida 2010 guidebook. While in Miami, the writer will be visiting various new and newly renovated hotels and restaurants for the guidebook to be published in the fall of 2009.

JOIN THE GREATER MIAMI DELEGATION TO WORLD’S LARGEST TOURISM CONVENTION - ITB BERLIN MARCH 11-15, 2009
GMCVB Tourism Sales wants YOU! Are you planning on attending the International Tourism Bourse {Market} [ITB] Berlin in March 2009? If so, let us know ASAP so that we can count you in as part of the Miami Delegation. ITB Berlin is the world's leading Travel Trade show with more than 180,000 visitors - among these are 108,000 trade visitors and over 10,000 exhibitors from 180 countries. ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism convention, takes place March 11-15, 2009. All levels of the value added chains are present: tour operators, booking engines, destinations, airlines, hotels and car rentals. Hurry and drop us a note if you plan to be part of the Miami delegation at GMarti@GMCVB.com.

GANSEVOORT SOUTH AND THE TIDES MAKE WALLPAPER AND FORTUNE MAGAZINE’S LIST OF ‘50 FANTASTIC BUSINESS HOTELS’
Two Miami Beach hotels made the list of “50 fantastic business hotels” around the world in a survey done collaboratively by Wallpaper and Fortune magazines. The Tides, a 1938 South beach icon recently revamped by designer Kelly Wearstler, was recognized along with the Gansevoort South, whose high style is the product of architect Stephen B Jacobs and interior designer Andi Pepper. The list, originally complied in May 2008, was eventually whittled down to 10 overall winners. For more information, visit www.Wallpaper.com.

HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON OPENS MIAMI – AIRPORT WEST PROPERTY
Homewood Suites by HiltonÒ, the international brand of all-suite, residential-style hotels, has opened its newest property in the Miami–Airport West area. Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami – Airport West is a 124-suite hotel with studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. Amenities include complimentary hot breakfast, an executive business center, and a 24-hour on-site pantry. The property also offers a complimentary airport shuttle to Miami International Airport (MIA), a swimming pool, and 900 square feet of meeting space. Located at 3590 NW. 74th Avenue, the hotel is just minutes from Miami International Airport and downtown Miami, and centrally located to all of Miami’s attractions and businesses. For more information, visit www.HomewoodSuites.com.

NEW GAME IN TOWN: MONOPOLY® MIAMI AND THE BEACHES
Celebrating the history and culture of Miami, The MONOPOLY® Brand has just introduced MONOPOLY® MIAMI and the BEACHES. Highlighting historic buildings and destinations quintessential to creating Miami's international allure, traditional spaces on the board like Illinois Avenue and Park Place are replaced by Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Lincoln Road respectively. In the center of the board, an image of South Beach's candy-colored lifeguard stand sits as a symbol of Miami's Art Deco architecture. Showcasing Miami's iconic landmarks from Ocean Drive's art deco skyline to the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, this special edition of the beloved Parker Brothers game is now available for pre-ordering at www.MonopolyMiami.com. The Limited Edition of MONOPOLY® MIAMI and the BEACHES retails for $35-$40 and will be available online and in select retailers throughout Miami including MDPL's Art Deco Gift Shop at 1200 Ocean Drive. For more information, a full list of retailers or to place an order, please visit www.MonopolyMiami.com.
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25TH ANNUAL TRAVEL TRADE LEISURE TRAVEL SHOW & CONFERENCE TAKES PLACE NOVEMBER 15-18, 2008 AT HYATT REGENCY MIAMI
Attention GMCVB Members: Don’t miss out on the opportunity to join the GMCVB at Travel Trade’s 25th Annual Leisure Travel Show (formerly known as the Winter Cruise-A-Thon) November 17, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Miami. More than 1,000 cruise travel agents from throughout the U.S. are expected. There’s a large Miami delegation already signed up with representation from the hotel, ground transportation, tour operator, restaurant, attractions and museum sections of our industry – BUT there’s room for more. Note: The entire show runs November 15th-18th, with the GMCVB’s booth share taking place on November 17th. For more information or to register, please contact GMCVB Director of Sales Alyce McDaniel at (305) 539-3092 or email: Alyce@GMCVB.com.

MAKE MIAMI GREENER: AMERICAN EXPRESS ‘ROOT FOR MIAMI’ COMPETITION HELPS FUND TREE PLANTING
American Express® Cardmembers can help bring more trees to Miami’s streets. Eight cities are competing for the largest portion of the American Express one million dollar tree-planting grant. Here’s what you can do: Simply pay with any American Express Card when you see the ROOT FOR MIAMI tree icon displayed at participating businesses to vote for Miami through October 31, 2008. The city with the most votes gets the most green [funding for trees]. So look for the tree, use any American Express Card and vote for your city! It’s that easy to help make a difference. For more information and to view participating businesses, visit www.RootForOurCity.com/miami.

OCTOBER TOUR GUIDE CERTIFICATION COURSE AGAIN OFFERED BY MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE
Miami Dade College’s Travel and Tourism Department is again offering its Tour Guide Certification course from October 20-25, 2008. 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. The course 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). To register, please call (305) 237-1093 or visit www.MDC.edu/ce/north/.

FLORIDA GREEN LODGING CONFERENCE TAKING PLACE IN GAINESVILLE NOVEMBER 10-12, 2008
The inaugural Florida Green Lodging Conference will take place November 10-12, 2008 in Gainesville, Florida. The goal of this conference is to bring together Florida’s hoteliers with tourism and environmental experts to help to educate and inform the audience on “going green, saving green and making green.” The conference is sponsored by VisitGainesville and the University of Florida. For questions and information on how to register, for the Florida Green Lodging Conference, contact Carol Hinton at (352) 392-9570, ext. 209 or visit www.FloridaGreenLodgingConference.com.

POSTPONED - FIRST ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA CORPORATE TENNIS CHALLENGE
The Visitor Industry Council (V.I.C) and Friends of Miami Tennis/ USTA have postponed the South Florid Corporate Tennis Tournament to a date which has yet to be determined. The tournament had originally been scheduled for Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Crandon Park Tennis Center. The V.I.C. organizing committee found that other commitments prevented the anticipated response from its tournament participants. The V.I.C. would like to thank the community for its generous support and looks forward to working on future philanthropic projects to support our youth. Please contact V.I.C. Executive Director Graylyn Swilley at (305) 539-3126 with any questions.