Miami - Greater Miami Conventions and Visitors Bureau - Print

Destination Branding

Situation

After 10 successful years of convincing tourists that Miami was the “it” destination, we were faced with a new reality. The combination of a post-9/11 economic downturn and the perception that Miami had lost some of its celebrity-driven chic resulted in a drop in visitor numbers for the first time in 12 years. We knew we needed to act quickly and decisively to change perceptions and reinvent the Miami brand.

Solution

We turned traditional travel marketing upside down and looked to the fashion industry for inspiration. Rather than show well-worn images of sun and sand, our new ad campaign features beautiful models dressed in beyond trendy fashions enjoying themselves in a variety of uniquely Miami settings. In the style of Dior, Gucci and Prada, our ads are almost completely devoid of copy. And like the hottest designer products, Miami suddenly becomes an aspirational brand – something you don’t necessarily need, but you just have to have.

Results

Miami is ranked #1 in growth for both hotel occupancy and average daily rate among the top U.S. Markets (based on total rooms). But even more significant is the fact that Miami is also #1 in growth for RevPAR (revenue per room), the figure used by the hospitality industry to measure business success. Since 2001, occupancy has increased 8.3% and ADR has increased 35.2%. For the first quarter of 2007, Miami has again ranked either first or second among Smith Travel’s top 25 markets in both occupancy and ADR.