Miami: Tropical Hot Spot

Miami sizzles as a port city for business and pleasure.

- Mark Chesnut

Considering that just a little more than a century ago — 1910, to be exact — Miami’s population was only about 5,400 people, it’s easy to see why this South Florida hot spot has long been considered a boomtown. And the evolution continues to impress as the city gears up to welcome an array of new services, amenities and experiences.

“It wasn’t that long ago we were a cultural wasteland, but now our tagline is ‘more than a beach,’” said William Talbert, president and CEO, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, the region’s destination marketing organization. “Lots of people have beaches. But we’re both cosmopolitan and tropical.”

Indeed, Greater Miami and the Beaches — as the GMCVB refers to the metropolitan area — grew rapidly from what was a tiny backwater settlement to an increasingly sophisticated, multifaceted destination that’s become one of the nation’s top international gateways.

Visitor numbers jumped 3.5 percent between 2017 and 2018, reaching a record-breaking 16.5 million. Travelers come for many reasons, not only for business or vacation but also to attend events like Art Basel, the international art festival, and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, as well as a range of live entertainment at venues like the Adrian Arscht Center for the Performing Arts. New art attractions include the George Daniell Museum, opened this year and hosting exhibits of the work of famed photographer George Daniell.