Name: William D. Talbert III
Title: President and CEO
Company, city: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Miami, Fla.
Number of employees: 60
Recent project: The 2016 Super Bowl bid; launching the new tagline “It’s so Miami”; rebranding the Port of Miami to “Port Miami”; opening rail connections from Miami International Airport to downtown
First job: Park planner in Metro Dade County, now Miami‑Dade County
Little-known fact about you: I played drums in a high school band and snare drum in the marching band. I performed at Elks and Moose lodges.
William D. Talbert III’s Business
Essential business philosophy: Sell, sell, sell.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Monitor the competition constantly. Remind yourself there is always somebody else trying to win the same business, even when you’re on top.
Yardstick of success: The number of jobs we create and sustain across the community, at every level. Over the past three years and three months, hospitality has continued to add jobs.
William D. Talbert III As A Traveler
Most important item when traveling: Electric plugs.
How he spends time on board: Domestically, I use Gogo for in‑flight connectivity, listen to audiobooks and read newspapers online.
Favorite restaurant in the world: Joe’s Stone Crab, Miami.
Favorite destination in the world: Miami, of course. Venice is also very special.
About Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
What business travelers can expect: World‑class service, responsiveness and creativity. We highlight unique venues and outdoor options available year‑round. Greater Miami offers an extraordinary variety of experiences: South Dade farmlands, the Everglades, South Beach, a vibrant Downtown, Midtown and Wynwood — the arts district that hosts Art Walk on the second Saturday of every month. Downtown is thriving as more people, including young families, choose to live there.
We launched the first restaurant month in the world in August, which later expanded into additional months and evolved into “Miami Temptations,” a program that now runs most of the year. We also promote themed months for spas, museums, live music, golf, shopping and local flavors.
What makes Miami unique? Miami has one of the largest concentrations of boutique hotels in the world, especially in South Beach where hotels cluster within a compact walkable area. Lincoln Road and Española Way offer a wide range of dining and shopping. A memorable local spot is Tantra Restaurant, notable for its entrance and bar with a living grass floor. That quirky, bold character captures the spirit: “It’s so Miami.”
As a destination, Miami’s sports and entertainment offerings are extensive: college championships, Homestead Speedway, the Sony Open tennis tournament, the World Golf Championships, the Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Miami Dolphins and, nearby, the Florida Panthers. Legendary athletes like Muhammad Ali trained here. We are the cruise capital of the world, with a significant share of overnight visitors embarking on cruises. Miami is also the only U.S. city bordering two national parks.
Biggest challenge in growing visitation: Miami is easier to sell today than in the past, but marketing must reach a global audience. We maintain representation in 45 cities worldwide, including offices in Moscow and several in China, and we leverage partnerships like Visit Florida and Brand USA. At the same time, competition is fierce as other cities add airports, hotels and attractions. Miami’s advantage is being both tropical and cosmopolitan — a major city on the water — with strong global connections. American Airlines’ feeder routes, especially to Brazil, support visitation; roughly one‑third of overnight visitors come from Latin America.
Long‑term growth depends on continued investment in infrastructure. Large projects, such as the Port of Miami Tunnel completed to improve traffic flow for cruise and cargo operations, make the destination more efficient and enhance the visitor experience by reducing congestion and streamlining access to ships and venues.