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Hospitality Council – Meeting Notes
Attendees – Peggy Benua, Dario Arana, Grisette Roque-Marcos, Wendy Kallergis, Anne Posschelle, Bruce Townsend, Sebastian Cortes, Evelyn Castillo, George Neary, & Craig Stedman
STAFF: Steve Adkins, Jorge Richa, Scott Bader & Lori Lynch
Guests: Luis Morera, Billy Kemp, Hilton Wolman & Carlos Rojas
Hospitality Council – Meeting Agenda
October 13 – 4 pm (The Clevelander – Thank you Evelyn)
Agenda (not in this order)
- Welcome & Introductions (5 mins)
- GMBHA Update – Wendy Kallergis
· ZIKA Impact Update
· Short Term Rental Update
- MBVCA Grant Update and Occupancy/Tax Update – Grisette Roque (5 mins)
- MDGLCC Hospitality Council updates
· Airbnb discussion (see accompanying information)
· Ocean Drive 10-point plan (see accompanying information)
· New Landing Page for HC – GayBizMiami.com update
· PluggedIN E-Newsletter (weekly/monthly)
- Pink Flamingo Hospitality Certification Program
· Gift bags and content discussion
· Properties in training
- Upcoming Impact Events
· White Party (Thanksgiving weekend) – Promoters to present
Notes from Meeting
ISSUES/ACTIONS- #1 – ZIKA Concerns and the impact on local tourism (Wendy and group reporting) –
ACTIONS – Aerial spraying has not taken place on Miami Beach for over 2 weeks. Incidence rate continue to slow but areas affected encompass 8th to 58th streets on Miami Beach. Wynwood is no longer in the affected area but an area off 79th Street in Miami is newly posted. Group business cancellations have slowed but is still an area of great concern. Tax collections have been impacted but not as great as expected.
#2 – MBVCA Update – Grisette presented that tax collections took a dip in August and, fear that September numbers will be lower. Prospects for 2017 are flat but, should provide for a fully-funded grant cycle in 2017; Miami Beach API/AP is online; New Customer Service training for Miami Beach. NEW – adding short-term rental violations assessed by the City of Miami Beach to the API to assist new code compliance officers funded by a GMBHA special assessment.
ACTION – For grant organizations which receive VCA Funding - We discussed coming up with language for our LGBT Organizations who put on events to place in their communications/website to discourage travelers from staying in non-licensed short-term rental properties. ONGOING
#3 - AirBnB – Group and Wendy spoke about the local impact of recent City of Miami Beach initiatives (higher fines, MB Magazine ad informing residents of the illegal nature of most AirBnB listings). An AirBnB analysis was attached to the last meeting notes email and outlines their market penetration and summary US goals.
ACTION – Continue to encourage state and local authorities to force AirBnB to collect/remit resort taxes in accordance with the law.
#4 - MDGLCC Hospitality Initiatives – Landing page on website & PluggedIN e-newsletter
ACTION– The MDGLCC website www.gaybizmiami.com was re-launched in early October complete with a new look and feel. As part of our market expansion, a new Hospitality Council page has been included along with a listing of our member properties. Included on this page are:
· Property listing
· Pink Flamingo Certified properties
· Historical Hospitality Council meeting notes
· Link to our new Pink Flamingo Hospitality Certification page
#5- Pink Flamingo Training Schedule
Action – Trainings are ongoing and targeted to take place at applicant’s location. 6 properties are going through training. YES Institute in booking directly with properties.
#6 – Upcoming Impact Events
· White Party (Thanksgiving weekend)
· Gay8 (January 15, 2017)
Action – Luis Morena, Carlos Rojas, Hilton Wolman and Billy Kemp (Score Bar) representing URGE presented the upcoming slate of events for the White Party discussing ways they could use our assistance. Damian Pardo from Gay8 will present at next meeting.
Next Meeting – November 8th at 10 am – The Hall South Beach
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