The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, in partnership with the Miami Beach Convention Center, a GBAC accredited facility, has landed its first booking for 2021 as The Aesthetic Society brings its annual meeting to Miami on April 30-May 3, 2021. The signing, along with the MBCC Ready plan, represents a huge leap towards recovery following a year of postponed events.
Some 600 participants and 200 exhibiting companies will descend on Miami Beach for the four-day event, marking the first booking that the MBCC has had since the outbreak of COVID-19 and will bring an estimated $2.4 million in economic impact, an essential contribution to the recovery of the local economy.
Greater Miami offers the right climate and opportunities for business event and meeting planners. A mix of warm weather and ample outdoor spaces means versatility for events that may previously have been held inside. This serves as a strong selling point as well as the MBCC’s campus’ ability to customize event layouts that support social distancing for a wide range of guest counts and employing health and safety measures that build confidence in the event experience.
The GMCVB convention sales team worked closely with MBCC team to secure this booking. The two organizations have a strong partnership, with the GMCVB maintaining an office on-site at the MBCC, to ensure unified marketing messaging and sales efforts. By being involved with the planning process as early as possible, the team can ensure clients have a safe and successful event, and a positive experience in the destination.
GMCVB CEO & President William Talbert III, CDME, is hopeful about this first scheduled citywide event and that it will lead to more. “Meetings are an essential part of Miami’s hospitality business, and while we will be rebuilding back slowly, it’s exciting to see this first little spark of hope that people are already thinking to the future and choosing Greater Miami. This will be a first step on the gas pedal to rev up our local economies again,” Talbert says.
While Greater Miami is thrilled to be moving forward in this business events and meetings sector, the destination is treading responsibly. Miami will be setting the tone for the future of the meetings industry. The Aesthetic Society will be adhering to all social distancing and mask mandates, and is keeping occupancy at the MBCC under 50 percent. The event will be a hybrid one, allowing organizers to welcome those who will not be able to attend by offering a comparable virtual experience.
Sue M. Dykema, CAE, executive director, is thrilled to be holding The Aesthetic Meeting 2021, at the MBCC. “Working with our partners at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Miami Beach Convention Center, we have been impressed with the attention to detail and commitment to ‘going beyond’ in implementation of safety measures and protocols for our attendees,” says Dykema. “Of course, the beautiful South Beach weather and distinctive culture will serve as a spectacular backdrop for our social events as we look forward to gathering and reconnecting with friends old and new…all at 6 feet apart!”
City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber says, “Meetings and Convention business are a top priority for the City of Miami Beach. We have made an extraordinary investment to our newly reimagined MBCC and a new Grand Hyatt Headquarter hotel is on the horizon. With plans to revitalize our Art Deco Cultural District, expansion of the convention center district with a focus on art & culture and family programming, Miami Beach truly offers something for all convention attendees.”
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is an accredited not-for-profit sales and marketing organization whose mission is to attract visitors to Greater Miami and the Beaches for leisure, business and conventions. For a vacation guide, visit www.MiamiandBeaches.com or call 1.888.76.MIAMI (US/Canada only) or 305.447.7777. To reach the GMCVB offices, dial 305.539.3000. Meeting planners may call 1.800.933.8448 (US/Canada only) or 305.539.3071 or visit www.MiamiMeetings.com. To get further engaged with Miami and the Beaches, join the conversation at Facebook.com/visitmiami, Twitter.com/miamiandbeaches, Instagram.com/miamiandbeaches and Pinterest.com/miamiandbeaches.
MBCC Ready reopening plans detail the rigorous venue health and safety measures deployed to reduce the risk of transmission and return to live events. MBCC’s customizable event layouts support social distancing for a wide range of guest counts, while venue health and safety measures build confidence in the event experience as part of the MBCC’s return to live events. The Miami Beach Convention Center is a proud achiever of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation, the gold standard for facilities and venues worldwide. Under the guidance of GBAC (a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association), MBCC has implemented the most stringent protocols and staff training for cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention. To facilitate the event planning experience while remaining in-line with venue measures and local public health recommendations, MBCC designated Health Ambassadors to support the pre-event planning process. All MBCC full-time staff are committed to the City of Miami Beach’s MB Standard, a COVID testing, prevention and contact tracing program. The MBCC’s commitment to fundamental practices recommended by the CDC are reinforced with new physical and digital, permanent and portable signage deployed throughout the venue’s front of house and back of house areas. Additional wall-mounted and portable hand sanitizer stations, as well as touch-free and environmentally friendly restroom features, are other physical measures that promote healthy practices. New health and safety practices align with the MBCC’s LEED® Silver Certification achieved as part of the venue’s $620-million-dollar expansion project which includes many environmentally-friendly features. For more info, visit www.miamibeachconvention.com.
The Aesthetic Society is recognized as the world’s leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. The Aesthetic Society is comprised of more than 2,600 members in North America and internationally; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements. The Aesthetic Society is at the forefront of innovation in aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine globally. For more info, visit www.surgery.org.
