MIAMI — The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) in partnership with Visit Florida, the Greater Miami and The Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA), and Florida Lodging and Restaurant Association hosted a travel and tourism industry forum to intensify ongoing efforts to fight mosquito borne illnesses, including Zika, it was announced Nov. 23.
(Left to right): City of Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine; Florida surgeon general Dr. Celeste Philip; Florida governor Rick Scott; and William D. Talbert III, president/CEO, Greater Miami CVB.
Gathering Nov. 21 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel, Miami-based travel industry leaders, including hotels, airlines, cruise lines, restaurants, attractions, retail and transportation partners, committed to create best practices to fight mosquito-borne illnesses.
As a result of the forum, the GMCVB, in partnership with the GMBHA, is developing a pledge that will incorporate the industry’s commitment and outline a series of mosquito mitigation efforts. In the near future, the group will finalize the initiative.
“(The) announcement by Florida Governor Rick Scott that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has lifted the Zika-related travel advisory for 35 of the existing 57 streets in Miami Beach is an indication that the program set forth by our government partners is working and Greater Miami is ready to be a model destination in dealing with Zika and any other mosquito-borne illness,” said GMCVB president and CEO William D. Talbert, III. “Miami and the Beaches has welcomed a record-breaking (nearly) 12 million overnight visitors in the first time nine months of this year and the safety and health of our residents and visitors continues to be our top priority.”
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